r kept oozing in all around, and Bluejay was scornful.
"Well, I'd rather have what we got." Beaver dug on till there was a
foot of dirty water in the hole. Then he took a pail and bailed it all
out as fast as possible, left it to fill, bailed it out a second time,
and ten minutes later cautiously dipped out with a cup a full pail of
crystal-clear cold water, and thus the Boilers learned how to make an
Indian well and get clear water out of a dirty puddle.

After their simple meal of tea, bread and meat Caleb told his plan.
"You never get the same good of a trip if you jest wander off; better
have a plan--something to do; and do it without a guide if ye want
adventures. Now eight is too many to travel together; you'd scare
everything with racket and never see a livin' thing. Better divide in
parties. I'll stay in camp and get things ready for the night."

Thus the leaders, Sam and Yan, soon found themselves paired with
Guy and Peetweet. Wes felt bound to take care of his little cousin
Char-less.

Bluejay, finding himself the odd man, decided to stay with Caleb,
especially as the swamp evidently was without proper footpaths.

"Now," said Caleb, "northwest of here there is a river called the
Beaver, that runs into Black River. I want one of you to locate that.
It's thirty or forty feet wide and easy to know, for it's the only big
stream in the swamp. Right north there is an open stretch of plain,
with a little spring creek, where there's a band of Injuns camped.
Somewhere northeast they say there's a tract of Pine bush not burned
off, and there is some Deer there. None of the places is ten miles
away except, maybe, the Injuns' camp. I want ye to go scoutin' and
report. You kin draw straws to say who goes where."

So the straws were marked and drawn. Yan drew the timber hunt. He
would rather have had the one after the Indians. Sam had to seek the
river, and Wesley the Indian camp. Caleb gave each of them a few
matches and this parting word:

"I'll stay here till you come back. I'll keep up a fire, and toward
sundown I'll make a smoke with rotten wood and grass so you kin find
your way back. Remember, steer by the sun; keep your main lines of
travel; don't try to remember trees and mudholes; and if you get lost,
you make _two smokes_ well apart and stay right there and holler
every once in awhile; some one will be sure to come."

So about eleven o'clock the boys set out eagerly. As they were going
Blackhawk called to