It was impossible to see more than a few feet ahead and it was a mystery to the boys how the Indian could keep a straight course especially as the wind seemed to change its direction frequently. But he seemed sure of his way and the boys had no reason to doubt his judgment.
By half past two the dogs began to show signs of distress and the Indian gave it as his opinion that they had better stop.
"No must keel um dog," he declared.
"I'll say we mustn't, but how are we going to camp here in the open?" Bob asked.
"Injun show white boys."
All day they had been traveling over a flat country and there was not even a hill to give them the slightest protection. Still they felt sure that Lucky knew best and if he said camp why, camp it was.
"We mak' um house," he said as he pulled the shovels from the sled. "We sleep all right, but have eat cold supper, no got wood."
The prospect was anything but pleasant, but the boys were not unused to hardships and there was no grumbling as they set to work digging a hole in the snow under directions from the Indian.
"Mak' heem 'bout eight feet long an' seex wide," he told them, as he turned to care for the dogs.
There was now about four feet of snow on the level, and, as the old snow was packed down very hard, it took them some little time to complete the task.