Re&off 



and kicking up more snow as they dashed on. 

 The long, hard grinding of the granular snow 

 seemed to be thinning the snow-crust, for though 

 far from dark below, it kept on growing lighter. 

 Redruff had pecked and pecked at the under 

 side all day, till his head ached and his bill was 

 wearing blunt, but when the sun went down he 

 seemed as far as ever from escape. The night 

 passed like the others, except no fox went trot- 

 ting overhead. In the morning he renewed 

 his pecking, though now with scarcely any 

 force, and the voices or struggles of the others 

 were no more heard. As the daylight grew 

 stronger he could see that his long efforts had 

 made a brighter spot above him in the snow, 

 and he continued feebly pecking. Outside, the 

 storm-horses kept on trampling all day, the 

 crust was really growing thin under their heels, 

 and late that afternoon his bill went through 

 into the open air. New life came with this gain, 

 and he pecked away, till just before the sun 

 went down he had made a hole that his head, 

 his neck, and his ever- beautiful ruffs could pass. 

 His great broad shoulders were too large, but 

 he could now strike downward, which gave him 



349 



