ircle of the trees, occupying almost the
whole of the space. It was apparently abandoned long ago, and time
and weather had done it much damage. But the bark walls, although they
leaned in places at dangerous angles, still stood. The bark roof was
pierced by holes on one side, but on the other it was still solid, and
shed all the rain from its slope.

The door was open, but a shutter made of heavy pieces of bark cunningly
joined together leaned against the wall, and Henry saw that he could
make use of it. He stepped inside. The hut had a bark floor which was
dry on one side, where the roof was solid, but dripping on the other.
Several old articles of Indian use lay about. In one corner was a basket
woven of split willow and still fit for service. There were pieces of
thread made of Indian hemp and the inner bark of the elm. There were
also a piece of pottery and a large, beautifully carved wooden spoon
such as every Iroquois carried. In the corner farthest from the door
was a rude fireplace made of large flat stones, although there was no
opening for the smoke.

Henry surveyed it all thoughtfully, and he came to the conclusion that
it was a hut for hunting, built by some warrior of an inquiring mind who
had found this secret place, and who had recognized its possibilities.
Here after an expedition for game he could lie hidden from enemies and
take his comfort without fear. Doubtless he had sat in this hut on rainy
days like the present one and smoked his pipe in the long, patient calm
of which the Indian is capable.

Yes, there was the pipe, unnoticed before, trumpet shaped and carved
beautifully, lying on a small bark shelf. Henry picked it tip and
examined the bowl. It was as dry as a bone, and not a particle of
tobacco was left there. He believed that it had not been used for at
least a year. Doubtless the Indian who had built this hunting lodge had
fallen in some foray, and the secret of it had been lost until Henry
Ware, seeking through the cold and rain, had stumbled upon it.

It was nothing but a dilapidated little lodge of poles and bark, all
a-leak, but the materials of a house were there, and Henry was strong
and skillful. He covered the holes in the roof with fallen pieces of
bark, laying heavy pieces of wood across them to hold them in place.
Then he lifted the bark shutter into position and closed the door. Some
drops of rain still came in through the roof, but they were not many,
and he would not mind