ore tackling the
job of cleaning up. "Why, it's as warm as toast now."

"Naturally, with the sun pouring in here all the morning," smiled
Mr. Curtis. "You'd find it rather different at night. If we all had
sleeping-bags or tents that were really tight, we might undertake it. But
our sort of equipment isn't meant for winter, and there's no use risking
colds when you'll have all the time you want next spring and summer. By
the way, Sherman, did you send that letter to Mr. Grimstone?"

"Yes, sir. Ted and Ranny and I made it up, and all the fellows signed it.
I posted it on Wednesday."

"That's good. I wrote him, myself, but I wanted him to see that you
fellows, as well, appreciated what he's done." He rested his head against
a tree-trunk and glanced appraisingly around the glade. "What a place
this would be for a log-cabin!" he remarked.

"Immense!" exclaimed Court Parker, sitting suddenly upright. "With a big
stone fireplace at one end."

"And bunks!" added Sanson, enthusiastically. "And shelves where we could
keep pans and things. And--"

"We could camp here any time of the year then, couldn't we?"

"Sure! And think of coming in when your hands and feet are 'most frozen
from skating, and thawing out before a roaring blaze, and making some
cocoa,--oh, yum! Do you s'pose there's any chance, Mr. Curtis, of his
letting us--" Sherman broke off with a sigh. "I forgot. He doesn't want
any timber cut."

"No; and I'd scarcely like to ask him, anyway, after he's been so
decent," said the scoutmaster. "It would look as if we didn't appreciate
what he's done already." His glance swept thoughtfully around the
open space again as if he were seeing in his mind's eye the structure
that had excited such instant enthusiasm. "Of course, it would be
quite possible to cut enough timber for a cabin without in the least
hurting the woods; in fact a little thinning would do them good."

"Wouldn't it be a corking place to feed the birds from in winter!"
suddenly spoke up Paul Trexler, a silent, reserved sort of chap. "We
started up three or four covies of quail between the road and here."

"It certainly would!" The scoutmaster's tone was emphatic. "You've hit
the best argument in its favor yet, Paul. The woods are fairly teeming
with birds of all sorts; I noticed it as we came along. The place has
been barred to the public for so long that I dare say the wild creatures
have come to feel more or less safe here. With a cabin right on th