ny rate it
would mark the breaking of the storm.

"Better be finding that hollow tree I spoke to Jesse about," he
concluded.

Once again luck favored the lad. Not thirty paces away he discovered what
seemed to be a big stump, about twelve feet or more in height. It had an
opening at the bottom, large enough for him to crawl through; indeed, to
his mind, it was there especially for the very use he intended to put it.

Running forward just as the rain began to rattle down all around him,
Jerry proceeded to crawl through the aperture. He found the interior
amply large enough to give him the needed shelter. What was better, the
opening happened to be on the leeward side, so that the driving rain
could not find entrance.

"This is what I call a bully fit. Talk to me about your cyclone cellars,
what could beat such a cozy den as this? I'm as snug as a bug in a rug.
Four wild dogs and my first deer, all in one day. I guess that's my
top-notch record, all right. Let her storm all she wants, so long as the
lightning doesn't take a notion to strike this blessed old stump," he was
saying as he mentally shook hands with himself over the day's
achievements.

After a long time, hours it seemed to Jerry, during a temporary lull in
the howling of the gale, he ventured to peep forth.

Everything was pitch black around, save when the lightning zigzagged
through space, and lighted up all creation with its electric torch.

"Looks like an all-night stand for Jerry. There comes that wind tearing
things loose again. Wow! it was a big tree went down that time! Hope none
of them take a notion to knock my poor old stump flat, or I'd be squashed
into a pancake."

Like many other people, Jerry had a habit of talking to himself under
stress of excitement Perhaps he believed that in this way he bolstered up
his courage, just as some men whistle when they find themselves trembling
in the face of some uncanny peril.

And there he crouched while the gale blew with renewed violence, and the
night wore slowly on. Several times there came a lull, and he began to
hope the worst had passed; when once again the wind would swoop down, as
though loth to give up its riotous dominion over the stricken forest.

Never had such a storm been heard of in October; even the first gale,
which had demolished the roof of the Academy, and brought about this two
weeks' vacation for the boys, had not equaled this, coming from another
quarter as it did.

Jerry h