. I'm in a bad fix now, and I'll have grit and
won't be gettin' scared. 'Twill never do to be gettin' scared
whatever."

Jamie sat quietly upon the log, and presently found himself dozing. He
sprang to his feet, for sleeping under these conditions was dangerous.
He tried to walk about, but was so tired that he again returned to the
log to rest. It was growing colder, and he shivered. The storm was
increasing in fury.

"I'm not knowin' what to do!" he said despairingly. "If I goes on
I'll perish and if I keeps still I'll freeze to death and I'm too
wearied to move about to keep warm. 'Tis likely the storm'll last the
night through whatever, and I'll never be able to stick un out that
long."

Jamie again found himself dozing, and again he got upon his feet.

"I'll have to be doin' somethin'," said he. "I'll keep my grit and try
to think of somethin' to do or I'll perish."

Jamie was right. He was in peril, and grave peril. Even though the
storm-swept marsh had not stood in his way he was quite too weary to
walk farther. He was thrown entirely upon his own resources. His life
depended upon his own initiative, for he was quite beyond help from
others. It was a great unpeopled wilderness in which Jamie was lost,
and he was but a wee lad, and even though Doctor Joe and David were
looking for him there was scarce a chance that they could find him in
the raging storm.

CHAPTER XVIII

A PLACE TO "BIDE"

Dazed and almost hopeless Jamie stood and gazed about him at the thick
falling snow. His body and brain were tired, but some immediate action
was imperative or he would be overcome by his weariness and the cold.

"If I were only bringin' an axe, I could fix a place to bide in and
cut wood for a fire," he said. "If I were only bringin' an axe!"

He thrust his hands deep into his pocket and felt the big, stout
jack-knife that Doctor Joe had given him, and he drew it out.

"Maybe now I can fix un with just this," he said hopefully. "I've got
to have grit and I've got to try my best whatever."

He looked up and there, within two feet of the log upon which he had
been sitting, were two spruce trees about six feet apart.

"Maybe I can fix un right here," he commented, "and maybe I can lay a
fire against the log and if I can get un afire she'll burn a long
while and keep un warm."

With much effort he cut and trimmed a stiff, strong pole. The lower
limbs of the trees were not above four feet from the ground, an