Nevertheless, there was absolutely nothing else for them to do. Indeed, the wind storm was by this time so frightful that had the boys attempted to move along the side of the steep mountain they were apt to be snatched up and carried away like thistle-down on a summer's breeze. "Gettin' worse and worse!" called out Lanky, a few minutes after the decision had been made to stay where they were and try to "duck" in case they were given any warning of the coming of a great slide. From one particular quarter they now heard a dreadful confusion of noises that in Frank's mind could mean only one thing. There were also distinct vibrations of the rocks underfoot that convinced him of the truth. "That's caused by a slide somewhere over to the right," he told Lanky, who was clutching a near-by tree in order to keep from being blown away. "Don't see anything of it, Frank, do you?" "Air's filled with all sorts of things--dead leaves, branches ripped from pinon and oak trees, all whirling around like mad," called back Frank. "But it's over that way, I'm sure." "I'm glad it's gone past and didn't touch us out between the bases," cried Lanky. "Do you think that wind's letting up any?" "Not a bit! Getting stronger, if anything! Worst's yet to come, I'm afraid, Lanky." "Wow, that's tough luck!" shouted the other at the same time trying to brace himself so as to seem like his old self, ready to snap his fingers at trouble and grin in the face of big odds. "Wonder if we'll pull through alive, Frank?" "Don't talk that way!" he heard his comrade shout, as the gale howled and the mountain continued to tremble under the shock of thousands of tons of rock and earth and undermined trees. "We'll set our teeth and do our level best. Nobody on earth could do more!" "You said something that time, Frank! But, gee whiz, it's _awful_!" The boys crouched there and waited, clinging to a hope that the avalanche they had heard crashing down the side of the mountain not half a mile away would be the only slip accompanying that storm. Under most circumstances they could have done something to better their condition; but such was not the case now. Frank felt like a grain of sand on the seashore when confronting such convulsions. Earthquakes and the eruptions of vast volcanoes are the most terrible of all the convulsions of nature; and before them the bravest shrink, unable to cope with such colossal happenings. Minutes appeared like hours to the two cowering lads. Their hearts seemed to jump into their throats at every fresh outburst of the warring elements, as though they feared the end had come, and they would never again see the loved ones far away in the old home town. "Don't believe I can stand this much longer, Frank!" complained Lanky. At the same time he realized how foolish it was to say such a thing, when so absolutely helpless to better conditions.