s eaten during their halt at the head of Lake
Bennet.

Work was pushed so vigorously that on the third day the goods were
carefully piled on the upper deck, secured in place, and with their
long poles they pushed out from the shore on the voyage of twenty-eight
miles to the foot of the sheet of water. They were provided with a
sturdy mast reared near the middle of the craft, but they did not erect
a sail, for the reason that the strong wind which was blowing was
almost directly from the north, and would have checked their progress.

The unwieldy structure was pushed along the eastern side, where the
poles were serviceable at all times. Each took his turn at the work,
the boys with the others, and the progress, if slow, was sure.

The first twelve miles of Lake Bennet are quite shallow, with a width
barely exceeding a half mile. Fifteen miles down occurs the junction
with the southwest arm, and the point had hardly come into sight when
Tim said:

"Now look out for trouble, for here's where we'll catch it sure."

All understood what he meant, for a wind was blowing down the arm with
such fierceness that it looked as if everything would be swept off the
raft. The prospect was so threatening that they ran inshore while yet
at a safe distance, and waited for the gale to subside.

"Is it likely to last long?" asked Roswell, when they had secured
shelter.

"That depinds how far off the end of the same may be," was the
unsatisfactory reply. "I've knowed men to be held here for days, but I
have hopes that we may get off in the coorse of two or three weeks."

The boys as well as Jeff could not believe that Tim was in earnest, for
his lightest words were often spoken with the gravest expression of
face; but their former experience taught them to be prepared for almost
any whim in the weather. They recalled those dismal days and nights
earlier on their journey, when they were storm-stayed, and they were
depressed at the thought that something of the nature might again
overtake them. When the boys proposed to put up the tent, the Irishman
said:

"It is early in the day; bide awhile before going to that trouble."

This remark convinced them that he was more hopeful of a release than
would be implied from his words; so they wrapped their heavy coats
closer and hoped for the best. The men lit their pipes, while the boys
huddled close together and had little to say. Unexpectedly there came
such a lull in the gale early in th