The snowfall increased.
"You can hardly see our tracks already," Bob called over his shoulder. "And this wind is fierce. I had no idea it would snow. It is awfully wet and sticky snow, too; see how it clings to the trees."
They sped on.
The descent was far easier than the climb, and they could go quickly.
"I don"t remember that big rock," exclaimed Van suddenly, pointing to a huge boulder that fronted them. "Isn"t it a whacker! Odd that I didn"t notice it when we came up. Could we have pa.s.sed it and not seen it?"
[Ill.u.s.tration: "I DON"T REMEMBER THAT BIG ROCK"]
"I suppose we must have," Bob answered. "I don"t remember it, though. Everything looks queer and different in the storm. It"s a regular squall. How quickly it came!"
"Can you still see our tracks?"
"No. But of course we"re right; I couldn"t miss my way after coming over this path so many times."
"Can you see the blazes on the trees?"
"No, silly. How could I when they are all plastered over thick with snow?" was Bob"s scornful retort. He was silent for a moment. "But don"t you worry," he declared. "I am certain we came this way--at least I _think_ we did."
His tone, however, was less convincing.
They went on.
"We don"t seem to be coming out anywhere, do we?" Van finally asked.
"No."
"Didn"t we pa.s.s a little clearing somewhere on the way up?"
"Yes, there was one."
"Have we pa.s.sed it?"
"No."
"Then it"s ahead of us."
"It ought to be. I say, suppose we stop a minute and brush the snow off these trees so to make sure we really are on the trail."
"A bully idea!"
The boys put down their packs and reconnoitred.
"There don"t seem to be any marks on these trees," Van a.s.serted after an interval of search.
"But there must be."
"Find them then--if you can."
Bob nervously scrutinized several gnarled trunks.
"You"re right, Van," he owned at last. "We"re off the trail; missed it somehow. We"d better go back; we can"t be far wrong. Or better yet, you wait here while I hunt."
Bob was very grave.
"You bet I"m not going to be left here to be buried in snow like the Babes in the Wood," protested Van gaily. "No sir-ee! I don"t stay here. I"ll help hunt for the path too. Now don"t go getting nervous, Bobbie, old chap. Two of us can"t very well get lost on this mountain. We"ll separate enough to keep within hallooing distance, and we"ll tie a handkerchief on this tree so we can get back to it again if we want to. We know we"re part way down, anyway. That"s certain."
"I don"t feel so sure," was Bob"s answer. "We ought to have turned back when it began to cloud up; but I never dreamed of snow. The family will be having a blue fit about us."
"Cheer up! We"ll get down all right, only it may take us a little longer," Van a.s.serted.
They branched into a side path.
The snow swirled about them in blinding sheets, and their footing became heavy and slippery.
Wandering on, they scanned the trees.
Not a mark appeared.
Both boys were chilled now, and their spirits drooped.
The possibility of being lost on the mountain began to definitely form itself in their minds.
"I"m mighty sorry I got you into this sc.r.a.pe, Van," Bob said after a long pause. "I was too c.o.c.k-sure of myself. That comes of thinking you know it all."
"Pooh! It wasn"t your fault, Bob. I"d give a cent, though, to know where we are. Do you suppose we"ve been making any progress all this time, or just going round in a circle?"
"Search me. I"ll bet we"ve walked miles," groaned Bob. "I"ve got to rest if we never find the trail."
He spoke wearily.
"You"re not going to sit down, Bob," Van retorted sharply. "Brace up. You"ve got to keep moving."
"But I can"t. I"m tired and--and--sleepy."
His voice trailed off into a yawn.
"I don"t care." Van wheeled on his friend fiercely and striding up to him shook him violently by the shoulders. "Now pull yourself together!" he commanded. "Where"s your nerve? Brace up or I"ll rattle the daylights out of you."
"I can"t go another step."
"You"ve got to. Start on ahead. Don"t crawl that way--walk! Faster!
Faster than that, do you hear? I"m just behind you, and I shall step on your heels if you lag. Keep it up. Go on."
Panting, Bob obeyed.