"Did--did my shot hit anybody?" questioned the smaller member of the
club, anxiously.

"I'm safe," announced Snap.

"So am I," came from Whopper. "But say, I thought I was going to plow
through the snow clear to China!"

"The discharge went pretty close to my ear," announced Shep. And then,
as he began to realize the escape he had had, he grew slightly pale.

"I tried to keep the gun barrel pointed to a safe place," said Giant.
"But the fall came so quickly I had hardly time to think. I am
thankful nobody was struck. Had I hit anybody I should never have
forgiven myself!" And he shuddered.

"Be careful of the rest of the guns," said Whopper. "We don't want to
be blown out of this hole--we prefer to climb out--at least I do."

They looked to their firearms, and then gazed around the locality in
perplexity. The gully was long and narrow and both sides were covered
with ice and snow. The ground above, also covered with ice and snow,
was well out of their reach.

"Getting out is going to be no easy task," announced Snap. "Maybe
we'll have to, walk to the end of the gulch."

"Wait, perhaps I can climb out--if one of you will give me a boost,"
said the doctor's son.