lf and having
a powerful odor which acts on the animal just as catnip acts on
a cat.

The weather had now turned off colder and they were glad to huddle
close to the camp-fire at night. Before going to bed the hunter
told the boys a bear story that all pronounced a "rattler."

The building of the new cabin began in earnest the next day, and
Jed Sanborn told them how it might be put together to the best
advantage, and even aided in cutting down some of the necessary
logs.

"I've got to go back to town to-morrow," he said. "But I'll come
back here before very long. I'll bring you anything you want."

"In that case I'll make out a list," answered Snap, and did so, with
the aid of the others. Jed Sanborn left the next day at noon; and
it was some time before they saw him again.

"And now to get at this cabin in earnest," said Shep, after the
departure of the hunter.

Jed Sanborn had shown them how they might pile up some rocks for
a rude chimney, banking up the lower part outside with dirt, and
this they finished first. Then the top was put on the new structure
and the sides, one end having a small door and the other an even
smaller window. The flooring was of hard dirt, with cedar boughs
in two corners for couches. In the shack they found a rude bench
and a table, and these they transferred to the cabin. When they
tried their new fireplace they found it worked well, the smoke
going up the rude chimney without difficulty.

"Now, this is something like!" declared Giant, as he surveyed
the work. "Even in a storm we can be quite comfortable here."

"Providing the roof doesn't leak," declared Shep. "When it rains
we must watch for leaks and try to stop them up---with bark or
with the canvas."

CHAPTER XII

SHEP AND THE HOLLOW TREE

For several days after the cabin was finished, the boys rested
from their labors and took it easy. An unusually warm spell followed
the short cold snap and one day, at noon, all took a dip in the
lake. But the water was so cold they remained in only a few minutes
and all were glad enough to hurry back into their clothing.

"A cold bath like that goes a good ways," declared Shep. "If a
fellow stayed in too long he'd freeze to death."

"Why, my back is full of icicles now!" declared Whopper. "Feels
as if I had gotten locked in a refrigerator by mistake."

"Like the tramp they caught at Westport last summer," came from
Giant, with a laugh. "He stole a ride on t