CHAPTER XXI
JERRY'S CAVE
For a while they tried to shelter themselves with the canvas, and shoutedback and forth through the falling snow that they were having a"scrumptious" time. But some of the girls, as Isadore said, "began toweaken."
"We don't want to be lost in the snow as we were the time we went forbalsam at Snow Camp," said Helen.
"How can you get lost--with us fellows along?" demanded Busy Izzy, in vastdisgust.
"Can't a boy be lost?" demanded Ann Hicks, laughing.
"Not on your life!" declared the irrepressible Isadore.
But just then Madge Steele got up and declared she had had enough. "Thishole in the ice is filling up with snow. We'll lose the fish we've alreadycaught if we don't look out. Come on, Bobby, and get mine."
So it was agreed to cut the fishing short for that day, although The Foxdeclared she could have beaten them all in another hour.
However, they had a great load of the frozen fish. Besides what they hadeaten for dinner, there were at least a hundred handsome fellows, and theboys had strung each fisher's catch on a birch twig which they had cut andtrimmed while coming down to the lake that morning.
Tom and Ruth, left at the campfire to clean up after the mid-day meal,were shouting for them to come in. The girls left the boys to wind up thefishlines and "strike camp," as Ralph called taking down the pieces ofcanvas, and all hustled for the shore. They crowded around the fire, threwon more fuel, danced to get their feet warm, and called to the boys tohurry.
The five boys had their hands full in retrieving all the chairs, andcanvas sheets, and fish lines, and sacks. When they got them all in andpacked upon the bobsled for transportation, the snow was a foot deep onthe ice and it was snowing so fast that one could not see ten feet intothe swirling heart of the storm.
"I declare! it looks as though we were in a mess, with all this snow,"complained Tom Cameron.
"And with all these girls," growled Ralph Tingley. "Wish we'd started anhour ago."
"I don't know about starting _at all_," observed Bobbins. "Don't you seethat the girls will give out before we're half-way there? We can't usesnowshoes with the snow coming down like this. They clog too fast."
"Oh, they'll have to wade the same as we do," said Isadore.
"Yah! Wade! And us pulling this sled, too? I wish Preston had stayed withus. Don't you, Ralph?" asked his brother.
"Hush! don't let the girls hear you," was the whispered reply.
Already the girls were comparing notes in a group around the fire. NowMadge turned and shouted for them:
"Come here, boys! Don't be mumbling together there. We have an idea."
"If it's any good, let's have it," answered Tom, cheerfully.
"It is good. It was born of experience. Some of us got all the tramping ina blinding snowstorm that we wanted a year ago. Never again! Eh, girls?"
"Quite right, Madge," said Ralph. "It is foolish to run into danger. Weare all right here----"
"Why, the snow will drown out your fire in half an hour," scoffed Isadore."And there isn't so much dry fuel."
"I know where there is plenty of wood--and shelter, too!" cried Ruth,suddenly.
"So do I. At the lodge," scoffed Belle.
"No. Nearby. Tom and I were just talking about it. Up that ravine yonderis the place where I fell over the cliff. And Jerry's cave is rightthere--one end of it."
"A cave!" ejaculated Helen. "That would be bully."
"If only we could have a good fire and get dry and warm again," quothLluella, her teeth already chattering.
"I believe that would be best," admitted Madge Steele. "We never could getback to the lodge through this snow. The shore is so rough."
"We can travel on the ice," ventured Ann Hicks, doubtfully.
"And get turned around," put in Tom. "Easiest thing in the world to getlost out there on that ice without a compass and in such a whirlwind ofsnow. Ruth's right. Let's try to find the cave."
"I'm game!" exclaimed Heavy. "Why, with all this fish we could live a weekin a cave. It would be bully."
"'Charming' is the better word, Miss Stone," suggested The Fox.
"Don't correct me when I'm on a vacation," exclaimed the plump girl. "Iwon't stand for it----"
Just then she slipped and sat down hard and they all laughed.
"Lucky you weren't on the ice. You'd gone right through that time,Jennie," declared The Fox. "Now, let's come on to the cave if we're allagreed. I guess Ruth has the right idea."
"We'll drag the sled and break a path for you girls," announced Tom. "Allready, now! Bring your snowshoes. If it stops snowing, we can get home onthem to-night."
"Oh, dear, me! I hope so," cried Belle Tingley. "What will mother andfather say if we're not home by dark?"
"They'll be pretty sure we wouldn't travel far in this storm. Preston andthe other men will find us, anyway."
"I expect that is so," admitted Ruth, thoughtfully, "And they'll findJerry's cave. I hope he won't be mad at me for taking you all there."
However that might be, it seemed to the girl of the Red Mill, as well asto Tom Cameron, that it was wisdom to seek the nearest shelter. The ravinewas steep, but it was sheltered. There were not many big drifts until theyreached that great one at the head of it, into which Ruth had fallen whenshe slipped over the brink of the precipice.
Nevertheless, they were half an hour beating their way up the gully andout upon that ledge which led to the mouth of Jerry's cave. The boysfound the laden sled a good deal of a load and the girls had all theycould do to follow in the track the sled made.
"We never _could_ have reached home safely through this storm," declaredMadge. "How clever of you to remember the cave, Ruthie."
"Ruth is always doing something clever," said Helen, loyally. "Why, sheeven falls over a cliff, so as to find a cave that, later, shelters us allfrom the inclement elements."
"Wow, wow, wow!" jeered Isadore. "You girls think a lot of each other;don't you? Better thank that Jerry boy for finding the cave in the firstplace."
They were all crowding into the place by this time. It was not very lightin the cave, for the snow had already veiled the entrance. But there was agreat store of wood piled up along one side, and the boys soon had a freshfire built.
The girls and boys stamped off the clinging snow and began to feel morecomfortable. The flames danced among the sticks, and soon an appreciablesense of warmth stole through the cave. The crowd began to laugh andchatter. The girls brushed out the cave and the boys rolled forward loosestones for seats.
Isadore found Jerry's shotgun, ammunition, bow and arrow, and otherpossessions.
"He must have taken the rifle with him when he went to the other end ofthe tunnel," Ruth said.
"Say!" exclaimed Ralph Tingley. "You could find the way through the hillto where you came out of the cave with Jerry; couldn't you, Ruth?"
"Oh! I believe so," cried Ruth.
"Then we needn't worry," said the boy. "We can go home that way. Even ifthe storm doesn't stop to-night, we ought to be able to find the lodgefrom _that_ end of the cave."
"We've nothing to worry about, then," said Madge, cheerfully. "We'resupplied with all the comforts of home----"
"And plenty to eat," sighed Heavy, with satisfaction.