The Indian followed my suggestion.  Of course, we could all work together, but then we might have pulled a mass of snow down on our heads.  Our object was simply to make a hole through which we could look out and ascertain if it were daylight, and if so to try and find out whereabouts we were.  We might all the time be close to our party.  I earnestly hoped that we were, so that we might satisfy the cravings of hunger without delay.  The Indian tried to force off the snow-shoe which formed the door, but found that impossible.  He then worked away above it.  The snow he brought down considerably decreased the size of our hut.  Still he persevered in working away, until I thought that he would never get through the roof.  At last he asked me again to hand him up my gun, and having forced the barrel upwards, as he withdrew it we could feel the cold air coming down, while a gleam of daylight entered our burrow.  But it would still require much labour before we could enlarge the hole sufficiently to enable us to force our bodies through it.