"As I tole you afore, it's a little failin' I have," he chuckled. "You may strike more of 'em around these parts."
Yardsley soon relapsed into a moody silence. The fear that Bob Somers and his companion might be in danger, and his loss drove all other thoughts from his mind.
At length, they toiled up another hill, with the snow falling thickly about them, and the boys suddenly discovered by a familiar tree that their camp was close at hand.
"Hurrah!" cried Sam, and with renewed spirit he pushed along.
Soon the two huts came into view. Then several shadowy figures uttered loud cheers and came pressing forward.
"Hello, there!" cried Nat Wingate; "what luck?"
Then, as he was informed of the unaccountable disappearance of the two boys, he stared blankly at Dave Brandon and Tom Clifton. "What! Hacky and Bob Somers lost?" he exclaimed. "That's a nice fix to be in!"
"We thought they might have found their way back," said Sam, disconsolately. "This is a fierce storm for any one to be out in, eh, Chub?"
"Those chaps are pretty good at taking care of themselves," replied Dave, reflectively.
"But what will they do for a shelter to-night?" put in Tom Clifton, in a frightened voice. "Cracky! What awful luck!"