four o’clock
On the return of day the men toiled with fresh energy , bucket after bucket was drawn to the surface of the shaft loaded with earth . The clumsy wooden props answered admirably in keeping the earth from filling in the pit , a few falls occurred , but they were rapidly checked , and no fresh misfortunes occurred throughout the day , except that the soldier Garry received a blow on the head from a falling block of ice . The wound was not however severe , and he would not leave his work . At four o'clock the shaft was fifty feet deep altogether , having been sunk through twenty feet of ice and thirty of sand and earth . It was at this depth that Mac-Nab had expected to reach the roof of the house , if it had resisted the pressure of the avalanche . He was then at the bottom of the shaft , and his disappointment and dismay can be imagined when , on driving his pickaxe into the ground as far as it would go , it met with no resistance whatever . Sabine was with him , and for a few moments he remained with his arms crossed , silently looking at his companion .