The rotary headed in as far as the push-plow had opened up the way, and then started work. The men gave a little cheer as it began flinging snow; for now they were really getting somewhere. The operator had set the augers so that the rotary climbed up on the snow a little as it advanced. But even so, as soon as the rotary got to the main part of the slide, the snow was high over the tops of the cutter-bars. The rotary ate its way ahead until soon it had dug out a cave for itself and the blower had no place to throw the snow. Then the operator backed it out, and began shaving up the edges, and the men with shovels on top of the slide tumbled down great masses of snow, especially from the mouth of the snow cave. As soon as there was enough to work on, the rotary waded in again and threw it all over the side. But the advance was slow.

The Superintendent’s job was to direct the fight, and mostly he was busy, plunging around through the snow telling the operator where to head the rotary in, directing the men on top of the slide and warning them to be careful. Once he went back a little way to get a look at the whole set-up, and it was something of a sight to see. Darkness had come on, and the snow was falling as fast as ever. The lights from all the plows and cars that were there were playing on the slide. The men on top looked small and black as ants by contrast with the great white heap. The rotary was throwing its great arc. And all around, the flying snow reflected back the lights, and shut off the little scene of activity from all the world outside.

He had time then to figure out just what had happened. High on the cliffs a big overhanging snow-nose had got too heavy and dropped off. It lit on the loose snow which had just fallen, and below that snow would be the surface of the old snow which had fallen in November and grown slick and hard and icy by melting a little in the sun each day and freezing up at night. The new snow had started moving, not rolling like a snow-ball, but sliding along the slick surface below. It picked up speed and grew as it went. Now it would override the snow ahead, and now it would shove beneath and carry it along. There was nothing to stop it, for this was an old track where the snow had been sliding for centuries. No trees could grow there long enough to get big, and all opposing rocks had long since been carried away. So the slide was probably nothing but snow—and that would be lucky for the two men inside the buried rotary.

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