rease, and tea sweetened with
molasses, hungrily and with a relish, so quickly had exercise in the
pure, clear air of the wilderness had its effect. Indeed, he was always
hungry now, and could scarcely wait for meal time.

"There were lots of things I'd never eat at home," he said as he passed
his plate for a second helping of pork, "but here I like everything."

"As I were sayin' before, hunger's a rare sauce for vittles," remarked
Skipper Zeb.

A light breeze sprang up while they were eating, and when they made
their departure from Swile Island Skipper Zeb hoisted a leg-o'-mutton
sail, and then sat and smoked his pipe and told stories of experiences
and adventures on the trail, while Toby took the rudder.

It was nearly three o'clock when Skipper Zeb pointed out a little log
hut near the mouth of a small river, and announced:

"There's Black River and there's Black River tilt where we bides
to-night."

A few minutes later the prow of the boat grounded upon a gravelly beach,
and while Skipper Zeb unloaded the cargo the boys carried it to the
tilt, laying it upon spruce boughs broken by Toby to protect it from the
snow.

The tilt was built of logs, with a roof thatched with bark. The door was
not more than four feet in height, and when Skipper Zeb opened it the
three were compelled to stoop low to enter. The interior was a room
about eight by ten feet in size. Across the end opposite the door was a
bunk, and, along the right side of the room as they entered, another
bunk extended from that at the far end to the wall behind the door. On
the left side of the room, and midway between the end bunk and the door
was a sheet-iron tent stove, with a pipe dismantled and lying on top of
it. An old pair of snowshoes, and steel traps, pieces of board shaped
for stretching pelts of various sizes and some simple cooking utensils
hung upon wooden pegs against the wall. The floor was of hard-packed
earth.

"Well, now! Here we be safe and sound and ready for work!" boomed
Skipper Zeb. "Everything snug and fine when we gets our beds made and
the stove set up and a fire in she. Whilst you lads gets boughs for the
beds, I'll be puttin' up the stove and stow the cargo inside."

Toby and Charley went to work with a will, and soon had deep springy
beds laid upon the bunks. Upon the bunk at the farther end they spread
Skipper Zeb's sleeping bag, and side by side, upon the other bunk, their
own. Already Skipper Zeb had a crackling fi