But although they were out of the beat of the storm, they grew no
warmer. More than Madge Steele complained of the cold within the next
few minutes. Ruth, indeed, felt her extremities growing numb. The
terrible, biting frost was gradually overcoming them, now that they
were no longer fighting the blast. Exertion had fought this deadly
coldness off; but Ruth Fielding knew that their present inaction was
beckoning the approach of unconsciousness.




CHAPTER XXII

THE HIDEOUT


Helen had drawn close to her chum and they sat upon the pile of
leaves that had blown into this lair under the bank, with their arms
about each other's waists.

"What do you suppose will become of us, Ruthie?" Helen whispered.

"Why, how can we tell? Maybe the boys and Long Jerry are searching
for us right now----"

"In this dreadful storm? Impossible!" declared Helen.

"Well, that they _will_ search for us as soon as it holds up, we can
be sure," Ruth rejoined.