n each slab
held it in place. This formed a sort of shelf 12 feet long, which was
divided at the center to form two bunks, each wide enough for two
persons. But as there were six of us in the society, we had to provide
two more berths. A stout post was set into a hole in the ground, and
nailed firmly at the bottom to the lower berth log and at the top to one
of the roof beams. This post supported a second berth log, which
extended the full length of the building at a height of about 3 feet
from the floor, and was wedged at the ends between the logs of the
house. Cleats were nailed to the walls under this berth log to make it
perfectly secure. Then slabs were nailed across it to form the two
bunks.

STOPPING UP THE CHINKS.

The log cabin was completed by stopping up all the chinks between the
logs of the walls. Strips of wood and bits of bark plastered with mud
were driven into all the cracks and crevices until everything was made
perfectly tight.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE WINDMILL.

When our log cabin was completed we immediately transferred our camp
from the tent to the hut. But at the very outset we were confronted with
the problem of getting drinking water. We hadn't thought of that before.
It was easy enough to move the filter barrels, but when it came to
moving the water wheel we could find no suitable place for it anywhere
near the log cabin. The water of Lake Placid was too quiet, while the
mill-race and the rapids on the other side of Kite Island ran so swiftly
that we were afraid the water wheel would be swept away with its course.
The matter was carefully considered at a special meeting of the society.
It occurred to Bill that we might build a windmill in place of the water
wheel, and use it to pump water from a well which could be dug near the
hut.

"We wouldn't have to use a filter, then," he said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Why, because the sand of the island will strain out all the dirt in the
water. You see, the water in the well will have to soak in from the
river, and by the time it gets through all the gravel and sand between
the river and the well it ought to be filtered pretty clear."

DIGGING THE WELL.

[Illustration: Fig. 282. Digging the Well.]

That sounded logical, and so we adopted the plan at once. We chose a
spot quite near the hut for our well. When we had dug down about 6 feet
we struck water, but continued excavating until the water lay 3 feet
deep in the well. While mak