CHAPTER XIII
IN THE WILDERNESS
Blindly groping about, the two boys located each other by the sounds of their voices.
"We mustn't get separated," said Fred. "That would be terrible. Oh, how my eyes hurt!"
"So do mine. It's just like once when some pepper blew in them. What shall we do?"
"I don't know. We must think. Wait a minute. I'll take my belt and fasten it to yours. Then we can't lose each other, and we'll have our hands free," for in their despair the two lads were holding each other's hands.
Fred held his gun between his knees that it might not sink down in the snow. Then he fastened his belt to Jerry's. Neither of the boys could see a foot in advance. It was just as if there was a black veil in front of their faces, and, though the sun shone brilliantly on the white snow, they could not distinguish it.
"Now what shall we do?" asked Jerry. "Have you any idea which way the camp is?"
"I remember that as we came away from it the wind was at our backs."
"Then if we walk with the wind in our faces we ought to get somewhere near it."