t to the
eastward was a small farming community, and that the timber line did not
begin in that direction for a matter of ten miles, but that to the
southwest, a half-hour's walk, would bring them to the dense forests.

Making sure before they left their supplies at the store, that it would
remain open until they had time to finish their meal, they repaired
directly to the restaurant. Here they found a picturesque scene. A long
counter ran the entire length of the room, presided over by an old
French Canadian, clad in a red flannel shirt, rough corduroy trousers
and high boots. To one side of the room were several tables, at which
men were already seated, playing cards or checkers. A number of fine
specimens of moose and deer heads hung from the walls.

The boys, perched upon high stools, were soon enjoying their meal. While
they were eating, they kept their ears and eyes wide open, but their
diligent attention brought them no reward. True, there were a number of
rough looking characters about the room, who might have been members of
or even heads of the particular band they had come to that country to
find. The meal over, Phil wanted them to remain for a while, in the hope
that some stray bit of conversation would give them something to work
on, but Garry vetoed this idea, for the reason that there still remained
only a half hour or so of daylight and he thought it would be wise for
them to get to a point to make themselves a camp before darkness fell.

Retrieving their packs and rifles from the general store, they started
for the woods, first filling their canteens, for it would probably be
unlikely that they could find a spring immediately on their arrival. A
half an hour's brisk walk brought them to the beginning of the timber
line. The rapidly gathering dusk signalled the quick approach of
nightfall, and they had barely penetrated the forest when Garry called a
halt.

The first duty was to build a fire, and in a short time they had
gathered enough brush to start their camp fire. A short search soon
resulted in their finding an old fallen tree, and in a few minutes they
had procured from this enough firewood to last them out the night. The
last task before rolling in for the evening was to get a number of
spruce boughs for making the usual mattress for anyone sleeping out in
the open in the great forests of Maine.

Garry awoke with the dawn, and soon tumbled his companions out. Fresh
wood was thrown on the few