"I notice that it is getting dark," observed Frank, as they trudged on. "I wonder what time it is?"
A watch was consulted and they learned to their chagrin that it was half-past four.
"I vos gitting hungry," came from Hans.
"Don"t say a word!" cried Tom. "I could eat a doughnut a month old."
"Don"t speak about it," put in d.i.c.k dryly. "It will only make you feel more hungry."
Darkness was coming on rapidly, and all of the boys were beginning to despair when suddenly d.i.c.k gave a shout of joy.
"The sh.o.r.e, boys! The sh.o.r.e at last!"
"Where?" came from all of the others.
"Over to our left. Come on!"
The others followed d.i.c.k willingly and in less than half a minute found themselves on solid earth once more, but at some point where the ground was little more than a stretch of flat meadow land.
"Hurrah!" shouted Sam. "How good to be on land once more!"
"Perhaps we might have been on land long ago if we had turned to the left," observed Frank. "We may have been skirting the sh.o.r.e for half the afternoon!"
"Never mind, we are here at last so don"t let"s grumble," said Tom.
"What"s that ahead, a barn?"
"Some kind of a building," answered d.i.c.k. "Let us go forward and investigate."
They did so, and found a half tumbled down building, which had once been used for the storage of meadow hay and also as a boathouse.
The door was gone and the window broken out, and the snow lay on the floor to the depth of an inch or more.
But still it was more pleasant inside than out, for the wind was rising and the large flakes of snow had given place to fine hard particles which came swishing down like so much sharp salt, so d.i.c.k said. It cut into their faces and made them thankful that some shelter had been found, no matter how humble.
It was too dark now to see anything, and sitting on some old hay in the most sheltered corner of the building the five boys held a consultation.
"I move we stay here until morning," said Tom. "If we go out again we may be lost and frozen to death."
"That is true," commented Frank. "But what will Captain Putnam say?"
"He can"t blame us for what has happened," said d.i.c.k. "We tried our best to get back."
"Yah, und he vos know ve ton"t stay here nildowit suppers for noddings," was the manner in which the German cadet expressed himself.
"Oh, Hans, how can you!" broke from Tom, who could eat at any time, and who now felt more hungry than any of them. "Do you mean to say we"ll have to remain here all night without our suppers!"
"Vell, vot else you vos going ter do, hey?"
"We"ll have to go without something to eat, unless we can find something close at hand," said Frank.
One after another went out to the doorway and to the open window and gazed forth. But the howling wind and blinding snow soon made all glad enough to get back to the sheltered corner. It was now pitch dark.
"We are in for it, so make yourselves as comfortable as possible,"
observed Frank. "My, how the wind does blow!"
"It"s like a hurricane in an African forest," said Sam. "I believe it"s almost strong enough to take a fellow off his feet."
The wind kept increasing in violence, until the old barn seemed to rock back and forth. It arose in a low moan and mounted steadily to a shriek, gradually dying away in the distance, followed by the slish-slishing of the fine snow across the rotted shingles of the roof.
"It"s a tempest not to be forgotten," said Frank. "I can"t remember when I"ve heard the wind make such a noise before. If it gets any worse it--"
Frank got no further, for the shrieking of the wind drowned out every other sound. Then came a strange grinding and creaking overhead, and the barn rocked more than ever.
"Get out, boys," yelled Tom. "The old shebang is going to pieces!"
Tom had scarcely spoken when the shock came, and beams, boards, and shingles flew in all directions. It was a terrifying occurrence and not knowing what else to do the five boys dug into the loose hay and threw themselves flat. Each felt as if the end of the world had come.
CHAPTER XIV
A FEW SPRING HAPPENINGS
Luckily for the boys the barn was blown clean over on its side, its roof falling some distance away, so that none of the wreckage came down on top of the crowd.
But the sounds of the beams and boards breaking were so terrifying that for several minutes after the damage was done none of the crowd dared to move. Each felt as though the next second might be his last.
At length d.i.c.k pulled himself together and peered forth.
"Any--anybody hurt?" he panted.
"I"m not," came from Tom. "But, say, wasn"t--"
A splutter, coming from Hans, interrupted him. In his eagerness to escape the fall of the barn the German cadet had plunged into the hay open-mouthed, and now some of the stuff had entered his throat and was almost choking him.
"Clap him on the back!" cried d.i.c.k, and Tom did as requested. Then came several gulps and Hans began to cough. But the danger from strangulation was over.
All were soon out of the wreckage, and thankful that they had escaped thus easily.
"But we won"t have the barn to shelter us," said Frank ruefully.
"What will we do next?"
"Push on until another shelter appears," said d.i.c.k. "We can"t remain here, to be frozen to death."
"Yes, but be careful that we don"t get on to the lake again,"
cautioned Sam.