slats, so that nothing of size might get through.

"Now this begins to look like something," declared Shep. "I am
afraid the front with a door, though, is going to bother us."

"We'll work it somehow," answered Snap, confidently.

In a few days the cabin was complete and it must be confessed
that the young hunters were quite proud of their work. They made
a sort of mud plaster and with this filled up the chinks between
the logs, and the roof they thatched with bark, so as to keep
out the rain. The floor they covered with pine boughs, piling
the boughs high up at the back for a big couch upon which all
might rest at night. They also made a split-log bench and a rude
table, from which they might eat when the weather drove them indoors.
But they were not equal to building a chimney, and so continued
to do their cooking outdoors.

It was well that they hurried their cabin, for the day after it
was completed a heavy and cold rain set in, lasting forty-eight
hours. Fortunately they had a fair supply of fish and game on
hand, so nobody had to go forth while the elements raged. They
built a camp-fire close to the doorway of the cabin---under a
sort of piazza top, and there took turns at cooking, and made
themselves as comfortable as possible.

"This isn't so pleasant," said Whopper, as he gazed out at the
rain. "I hope it doesn't last long."

"Well, we have got to take the weather as it comes," said Shep,
philosophically. "We can't expect the sun to shine every day."

"I'd like it to rain during the night and be clear in the daytime."

"Want your weather made to order," laughed Giant.

Fortunately the boys had brought along several books and games.
They had agreed that the books should be read only in bad weather,
and the games played only when they could not go out, and now
these pastimes came in very handy. They had checkers and dominos,
and a new card game that was just then "all the rage." When night
came they turned in early and slept soundly, the fear of the bear
no longer troubling them.

CHAPTER VIII

AN UNWELCOME ARRIVAL

The second week passed and they spent a quiet Sunday in camp.
They were fortunate in their hunting and brought in large quantities
of small game. Shep brought down a silver-tailed fox, of which
he was very proud, and Whopper laid low the biggest rabbit they
had yet seen. One day Giant and Snap went out for partridge and
brought in three, all of fair size. They had