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trees。 At last there was one shock longer and lasting； followed by
a deepening thunder below them。 The avalanche had struck a ledge
in the mountain side； and precipitated its lower part into the
valley。
Then everything was still； until Provy heard Julian's voice
calling。 He answered； but there was no response from Tribbs。 Had
he gone over into the valley？ They set up a despairing shout！ A
voicea smothered onethat might be his； came apparently from the
snow beneath them。 They shouted again； the voice； vague and
hollow； responded； but it was now surely his。
〃Where are you？〃 screamed Provy。
〃Down the chimbley。〃
There was a black square of adobe sticking out of the snow near
them。 They ran to it。 There was a hole。 They peered down； but
could see nothing at first but a faint glimmer。
〃Come down； fellows！ It ain't far！〃 said Tribbs's voice。
〃Wot yer got there？〃 asked Julian cautiously。
〃Suthin' to eat。〃
That was enough。 In another instant Julian and Provy went down the
chimney。 What was a matter of fifteen feet after a thousand？
Tribbs had already lit a candle by which they could see that they
were in the cabin of some tunnel…man at work on the ridge。 He had
probably been in the tunnel when the avalanche fell； and escaped；
though his cabin was buried。 The three discoverers helped
themselves to his larder。 They laughed and ate as at a picnic；
played cards； pretended it was a robber's cave； and finally；
wrapping themselves in the miner's blankets； slept soundly； knowing
where they were； and confident also that they could find the trail
early the next morning。 They did so； and without going to their
homes came directly to schoolhaving been absent about fifty
hours。 They were in high spirits； except for the thought of
approaching punishment； never dreaming to evade it by anything
miraculous in their adventures。
Such was briefly their story。 Its truth was corroborated by the
discovery of the bear's carcass； by the testimony of the tunnel…
man； who found his larder mysteriously ransacked in his buried
cabin； and； above all； by the long white tongue that for many
months hung from the ledge into the valley。 Nobody thought the
lanky Julian a hero；least of all himself。 Nobody suspected that
Jackson Tribbs's treatment of a 〃slide〃 had been gathered from
experiments in his father's 〃runs〃and he was glad they did not。
The master's pardon obtained； the three truants cared little for
the opinion of Hemlock Hill。 They knew THEMSELVES； that was
enough。
End