tting so often wet and dry they had become
completely rotten. Alick's were falling off his feet; mine were in a
very little better condition; Martin had thrown his away as useless, and
Robin had done the same, but as he had so long gone without shoes, his
feet were hardened, and he cared very little about the matter.

While the weather was warm it was not of much consequence, but we might
expect frost soon to set in, and unless we could manufacture some
moccasins we should suffer greatly. If we could kill a deer we might
supply ourselves, but hitherto we had seen none along the banks of the
river; still we hoped to fall in with some, as both skins and meat would
be very acceptable.

"Then I consider that the best thing we can do is to camp in an eligible
spot, and commence building a canoe without delay," said Alick.

We all agreed with him.

"I have no doubt about being able to do it," said Martin; "but we must
fix on some place where the white birch trees are abundant, that we may
have a good selection of bark. Much depends on its perfect condition,
and many of the trees we have passed are of insufficient size or have
holes in the bark, which would render them useless for our purpose."

We trudged on therefore, eagerly looking out for a spot which would
answer all our requirements. Before long we found one with some cedar
trees in the neighbourhood, and some young spruce firs not far off. On
a hillside a little way from the river grew a number of pines; the pitch
which exuded from them we wanted for covering the seams. The wood of
the cedar was required for forming the frame of the canoe, while the
slender and flexible roots of the young spruce trees would afford us
what is called "wattap"--threads for sewing the bark on to the gunwale
and securing it to the ribs.

"As we shall be some days building our canoe, we may as well put up a
hut and make ourselves comfortable in the meantime," observed Martin.
"It won't take long to do that, and should a storm come on we should
require shelter."

"We shall want something of still more consequence," observed Alick.
"We have no food, and you fellows will soon be crying out for it. While
Martin and David get the camp ready, light a fire, cut some poles for a
wigwam, and collect some rough sheets of bark to cover it with, Robin
and I will go in search of game. We shall find something or other
before dark, if we keep our eyes open and our wits awake, and I shall
no