he floor was sewed to
the bottom of the walls all around and the front end of the tent did
not open at all. Instead it had a round hole large enough to admit a
man's body, and to the edges of this hole was sewed a long sleeve, or
funnel, of light drilling, with an opening just large enough to let a
man crawl through it to the interior of the tent. Once inside, he
could, as John explained it, pull the hole in after him and then tie a
knot in the hole. The end of the sleeve, or funnel, was tied tight
after the occupant of the tent had gotten inside.

In order to secure ventilation, ample windows, covered with bobbinet,
or cheese-cloth, were provided in each end and in the sides, each with
a little curtain of canvas which could be tied down in case of rain.
Their engineer uncle, who had aided in the perfection of this device,
declared it to be the only thing which made engineering possible in
this far northern country, which was impassable in the winter-time,
and intolerable in the summer-time for the man who has no defense
against the insect pests which make life so wretched for the
inexperienced traveler in the north.

Leo looked with considerable interest at this arrangement after the
boys had crawled in and made their beds inside ready for the night's
rest. The boys offered him the use of their old tent, if he liked,
but he seemed a trifle contemptuous about it.

"Fly no hurt Injun," said he. And indeed he, George, and Moise all
slept in the open by preference, with only their blankets drawn over
their heads to protect them against the onslaughts of the mosquitoes.

They were now at their first hunting-ground, and our young friends
were keen enough to be about the business soon after the sun had begun
to warm up their little valley the next day. Leo swept a hand to the
steep gorge down which the little creek came tumbling. "Plenty slide
up there," said he. "Maybe-so three mile, maybe-so five."

"Well, now, how about that, Leo?" inquired Uncle Dick. "That's quite a
climb, perhaps. Shall we come back here to-night, or stay up in the
hills? We might pack up a camp outfit, and let Moise and George come
back here to spend the night."

"All right," said Leo. "That's most best way. High up this creek she
come flatten down--little valley there, plenty slide, plenty
grizzlum."

"No mosquito-tent now, fellows," said Rob, laughing. "That'll be too
heavy to pack up--we'll take the light silk shelter-tent, and get on
the b