they stopped or continued right on; but
nevertheless he could not keep back the happy sigh that would well
forth; and they could hear him champing his jaws, as though trying to
learn whether they were still in condition for service, because that one
word "eat" had told him they expected to break their fast. Shortly
afterwards they were making themselves as comfortable as possible,
though destitute of blankets and many other things; while the two guides
started a little cooking fire in a depression where it could not be seen
thirty feet away.

CHAPTER XV.

THE BRUSH SHELTER.

"After all, this isn't so bad!" Teddy was saying, after they had got the
supper started, and most of them were lying around in comfortable
attitudes, enjoying the cheery conditions, for the air was a bit cool,
and even the warmth of the small cooking fire felt good.

"It might be worse," admitted Jimmy, sniffing the fragrant air, as a war
horse might the pungent powder-smoke of battle--Jimmy was always ready
for the fray in the line of disposing of surplus "grub."

They did not have a very extensive meal. The conditions hardly warranted
their trying to put on any "style," as Jimmy called it. So as appetites
were appeased, and the food tasted good, nobody was apt to complain.
Indeed, these fellows had been through so much in times gone by that
they knew how to make the most of a bad bargain, and adapt themselves to
circumstances as they found them.

When a Boy Scout can do that he has achieved the best that any one could
expect of him, for he has conquered himself, always the hardest fight of
all.

Presently Francois announced that the simple bill-of-fare was ready. It
consisted of hard-tack, coffee, and some caribou meat cooked in regular
camp style. What mattered it if in places the venison was slightly
scorched, or underdone; the wood smoke gave it a flavor all its own, and
there were vigorous appetites on hand to overlook these minor faults.

Quantity appeals to boys more than quality, generally speaking, and
never a single complaint was heard as they munched away.

"Getting off better than we expected, ain't we?" Jimmy observed, with
his mouth so full that his words were fairly mumbled.

"Oh! this is just prime!" Frank declared. "I'm more bothered about not
having my good blanket to snuggle down into than anything else."

"Please don't mention it till we've done eating, anyway," pleaded Teddy.
"Makes a cold chill run up and