ivilization.

Paul, believing that they had set that fire and robbed Mr. Briggs'
safe, could understand just why they remained here in seclusion. They
doubtless feared suspicion may have been pointed in their direction,
and that something of a search was being indulged in looking to their
ultimate capture.

As soon as they arrived close to the walls of the shack the boys
searched for some crevice through which they might gain a view of the
interior.

Several managed to dig peep-holes by detaching the frozen mud that the
tramps had plastered over open chinks. They applied their eyes to such
crevices, and first of all discovered a blazing fire. Then a movement
on one side drew their attention to the taller vagrant sitting quietly
smoking his black pipe as though quite contented with his lot of
idleness, so long as his wants were fairly well supplied.

It happened that the wind had gone down, and there brooded over the
snowy forest a deep silence. This fact allowed the listeners without
to catch the sound of voices inside the hut, for one of the tramps
talked heavily, and the other had a high-pitched voice that carried
like a squeaking fife.

What they were saying just then instantly riveted the attention of the
listeners, for as though by some strange freak it had an intimate
connection with the object of the scouts' coming to the spot.

The shorter man seemed to have been doing some work on his injured
hand, for he was now carefully wrapping a fresh rag around it. At the
same time he was grumbling because of the pain his injury gave him.

"I never knowed how bad a burn was till now, Billy," was the burden of
his complaint. "I've been shot and hurted in every other way, but this
here's the fust time I ever got licked by fire. It's a-goin' to be the
last time too, if I knows it."

"Any fool had ought to know better'n to play with fire," the other
told him between his teeth as he sucked at his pipe. "I reckons that
ye'd been wuss hurt nor that if I hadn't slapped a pail o' water over
ye, and put ye out. Gotter stand fur it, Shorty, till the new skin
comes along. A burn is wuss nor a cut any day."

"I on'y hopes as how it's well afore we skip outen this hole," the
sufferer went on to say, still unappeased. "If we git in a tight hole
I'd need both my fins to do business with. A one-handed man ain't got
much chance to slip away when the cornfield cops make a raid."

"They ain't goin' to bother us any! Make up yer m