e've had?"

"What I want to know," Harry broke in, "is whether rabbits really do run
in the woods in winter? My mouth is made up for some rabbit stew."

"Maybe we can buy a couple of rabbits, then, from some farmer's son,"
suggested Dick dryly.

"Buy 'em?" sniffed Hazelton scornfully. "Huh! Next thing we know you'll
want some one to come in and do the housework!"

"It would be better done, then, I don't doubt," laughed Dick. "Now,
fellows, the clock tells us that it's quarter of four. That means
something like an hour more of daylight. I guess we've a few things to
do, haven't we?"

"Get supper!" proposed Dan.

"That's one of the things," nodded Dick. "Then there's water to be
brought in. In this nipping air I'll bet there's already more ice over
the spring. Then we ought to bring in a lot more logs for the fire.
It'll be harder work after dark. And some one ought to get potatoes
ready to put on over the fire. Then we ought to select our bunks and get
bedding in them. After that we want to tidy up this hard dirt floor.
Some one will need to wash the cups and saucers, and have 'em ready for
supper."

"Let's have some system to it, then," urged Dave. "Dick, you look about
and see what's needed. Then set each fellow to his task--and all the
rest will take any kicker down to the spring and duck him!"

"Lemme fix the potatoes, then," begged Dan. That being one of the
"disagreeable" tasks, no one objected. Dick parceled out the tasks, and
things were soon humming. While they were still busy, darkness had
settled down. But Greg had filled the lamp and the lantern, and had
them going, though the big, red fire filled the whole cabin with light.

"Whee! But this is jolly!" cried Greg, as he stood arranging his bedding
in the bunk he had chosen.

"It'll be more like fun to-morrow, though," suggested Dick, "when we can
have a whole, daylight day out in the woods. But I think we're all going
to be mighty comfortable here."

That was the general feeling. The Grammar School boys found themselves
filled with contentment.

"How are the potatoes coming on, Danny?" inquired Tom. "I'm so hungry I
can hardly stand up."

"Ready in ten minutes more, I reckon," Dan answered cheerily.

"Bully!"

Greg was cutting bread and getting butter out of a glass jar. Dave had
busied himself with opening two tins of meat. They had fresh meat, but
the latter was to be used on the morrow when their housekeeping
arrangements had been bette