o go again."

"He was no doubt thinking of the balloon," said Bill.

"Do you think it was a balloon?" asked Pud.

"It undoubtedly was," said Mr. Waterman. "The very year that Pierre went
up the Shipshaw, they held a long distance balloon race starting away
over in the United States. One of the balloons was carried away to the
east of the Saguenay and the two pilots did not get back to civilization
for over two weeks. They had a very hard time for they had to tramp out.
The remains of the big balloon are up there in the wilderness and have
probably more than once aroused the astonishment and amazement of
wandering Indians."

"Maybe no one has found them," said Pud.

"That's quite probable, for you know that we have been up here for quite
some time, and we haven't seen anything of them," said Mr. Waterman.

The rain still came down but, sheltered as they were, they rather
enjoyed it. They talked for some time and then dispersed to their
various tents.

Bob and Bill were together. Just before turning in, Bob put two big logs
on the fire and they lay down in their blankets watching the fitful
flames that darted feebly up into the rain.

"We're lucky to-night that we're not out on a trip," said Bill.

"How so?" asked Bob.

"Well," replied Bill, "if we were on a trip we should not have this
shelter tent along and we should stand a good chance to get a soaking."

"I shouldn't mind that much," said Bob. "But don't you remember that
last trip? We had a rainy night then and we did not get very wet. Our
sleeping bags kept us just as dry as punk all night, though I could hear
the rain beating down like sin on my head."

"That's true," said Bill. "These sleeping bags are great stuff. All the
same, I'm glad I'm here to-night."

"Are you going to keep the fire going to-night?" asked Bob sleepily.

"Yes, if I happen to wake up," said Bill. "I'm nearest the fire and I'll
just throw on a log if I can reach one without getting out of my bag."

"I've seen to that," said Bob. "You can reach these logs easily enough.
Don't bother to do it though unless you wake. Needn't keep it on your
mind."

"Don't worry. I'm as sleepy as the dickens now, so I shall probably not
bat an eyelid until morning."

"Good-night," said Bob as he rolled over.

"Pleasant dreams," said Bill in answer.

Ten minutes later the only sign of life about that part of the woods was
the fire which blazed up now and then, only to be put down when a breez