As I gained a little advantage over the snow
which was drifted in almost as fast as I could shovel it out, my heart
leaped as I found the hole opening out into the middle of the stack; and
I plunged in on my hands and knees, found it dry and free from snow
within ten feet of the mouth, and after enlarging it by humping up my
back under it where the settling had made it too small, I emerged and
went to Virginia; whom I took out with her dog, wrapped her in the robes
so as to keep them from getting snowy inside, and backing into the
burrow, hauled the pile of robes, girl and dog in after me, like a
gigantic mouse engaged in saving her young. I think no mouse ever
yearned over her treasures in such case more than I did.
And then I went back to get the dinner-basket, which was already buried
under the snow which had filled the cutter; for I knew that there was
likely to be something left over of one of the bountiful dinners which a
farmer's wife puts up for the teacher. Then I went back into the little
chamber of straw in which we had found shelter, stopping up the mouth
with snow and straw as I went in. I drew a long breath. This was far
better than I had dared hope for. There is a warmth generated in such a
pile, from the slow fermentation of the straw juices; even when
seemingly dry as this was: and far in the middle of the stack,
vegetables might have been stored without freezing. The sound of the
tempest did not reach us here; it was still as death, and dark as tar.
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