ll as being
shown the homes of hares, quail, squirrels, and other small denizens of
the forests.

One day, Mike went off alone, with his rifle over his shoulder. Babs had
to remain indoors that day as she had fallen into a pool of water and
had to have all of her clothes dried in the kitchen. That night Mike
came into camp with a medium sized deer slung over his back. Everyone
was interested in the event and watched Mike hang it up by the legs,
while he went to his tiny log hut and brought out a sharp knife. The
deer was soon skinned and the meat cut up into steaks and chops which
were sent over to the cook. The skin was then prepared, as only an
Indian can cure it, and left for a time to season.

"What are you going to do with it, Mike?" asked Don.

But Mike smiled as he shook his head, refusing to tell.

The children insisted, however, and Mike confessed that he intended
making a deer-skin suit for Babs to wear out-of-doors.

CHAPTER IV

THE ENGINEER'S ASSISTANTS

ONE day, soon after Babs' adventure in the woods, Mr. Starr received a
letter from a large machine company at Grand Forks. He read it aloud at
the dinner table, thereby making all of the timber men very happy.

"The skidder is on the road, boys," said Mr. Starr.

"She is!"

"When will she git here?"

"Mos' time--we are beginnin' to need her!"

These and many other exclamations greeted his news, and Mr. Starr
looked at the date of the postmark to figure out the time they might
expect the skidder to arrive at camp.

"The roads are frozen fine and hard now, and there hasn't been any snow
except a few flakes now and then, so she ought to get here by tomorrow,
I should think," replied Mr. Starr.

"It'll begin to look as if we were workin' some, when the logs begin to
move out toward the river," declared the foreman.

"She'll have some logs to haul!" said Mr. Latimer, pleasing the men by
the suggested praise of their work.

"What's a skidder, Daddum?" asked Dot.

"Why do you call it a she?" added Don.

While many who heard Don's question, laughed, Mr. Starr tried to explain
to the twins what a skidder was and what use it was.

"Then the engineer has to drive her, eh?" asked Don, eagerly looking
over at Jim.

"Yes, he has to steer her, watch over her steam works, and keep her from
going into the crooked paths of evil," laughed Mr. Latimer.

"She sure does get into evil ways, sometimes," added Jim, laughingly.

"Why, I saw one of