he
intended to keep an eye on everything. Paid or not paid, as Adrian
fared so would he--only rather better.

"Why, they must have thought we would be in the woods a long time.
They were certainly generous."

They had been, but Pierre considered that they might have been more
so.

"This was for both trips. Half is mine."

"Nonsense. But--there. We're not going to squabble all the time, like
children. And we both know exactly what we have to depend on. We must
fish and shoot----"

"How'll you do that? The only gun is mine."

"It's part of the outfit. Let's see. A little good tent cloth--not big
enough to cover any but good-natured folks--salt pork, beans, sugar,
coffee, tea, flour, meal, dishes---- Hello! We're kings, Ricord!
Monarchs of Maine."

"Cut the splints."

After all, it seemed to be Pierre who did the ordering, but Adrian had
sense to see that he was the wiser of the two in woodcraft; even
though he himself had made it a study during the last weeks. He seized
the axe and attacked a cedar-tree, from which he had soon cut the
binding strips he wanted. Then he laid the paddles in the boat,
fastening them with rootlets to the three thwarts. He also fastened
two broad bands of the pliable splints in such a way that when it was
inverted, the weight of the canoe could be borne in part by the
forehead and shoulders. He was ready almost as soon as Pierre had
retied the pack, which was to be Adrian's burden.

"All right! I'll swing her up. This 'carry' isn't a long one and the
first thoroughfare is ten miles before we come to dead water. But
it's up-stream that far and we'll have to warp up some. Part is fair,
but more is rips."

If Pierre thought to confound his mate by his woodland slang he was
disappointed. Margot had been a good teacher and Adrian had been eager
to learn what he had not already done from the loggers. Pierre had
been puzzled by "commissariat" and "expedition" and felt that he had
evened matters nicely.

"Oh! I know. A thoroughfare is a river, and a dead water is a lake.
And a carrier is--yourself!"

To show his new skill he caught up the canoe and inverted it over his
own head. He, also, had been calculating a bit, and realized that the
birch was really the lighter burden. So he generously left the pack to
his neighbor and started forward bravely.

"All right, like you say. One little bit, then you change. Then, too,
maybe I'm not ready."

With a whistle and spring Pierre hoisted