re in the stove and the
cargo carried in and stowed snugly under the berths.

"Now whilst Toby and I tidy up a bit, put over the kettle, Charley lad,
and we'll have a bite to eat," suggested Skipper Zeb.

Charley took the tin pail that served as a kettle, to fill it at the
river. Just as he had dipped it and was about to return, his eye fell
upon a peculiar looking animal perched upon a branch high up in a spruce
tree. With all speed he ran back to the tilt and called excitedly upon
Toby to come and see it.

"'Tis a porcupine!" exclaimed Toby, grabbing his rifle and following
Charley. "I'll shoot he, and we'll have he for supper!"

And so it proved. A shot brought the animal tumbling down. Toby picked
it up gingerly by a leg and carried it back.

"Well, now! Fresh meat the first night!" boomed Skipper Zeb. "Whilst you
lads tidy the tilt, I'll skin he."

In a few minutes Skipper Zeb had the porcupine skinned and dressed, and
after washing the meat in the river and cutting it into convenient
sections he placed it in a kettle of water to stew for supper.

Two Indian flatsleds or toboggans, which were standing on end against
the tilt, were put into repair by Skipper Zeb and made ready for the
journey on the morrow, and before dark all preparations for an early
departure were completed.

It was snug and cozy now in the tilt, with the fire in the little tent
stove cracking and snapping. The air was spicy sweet with the odour of
the spruce and balsam beds, but to the boys a still more delicious and
appealing odour was given out by the kettle of stewing porcupine on the
stove. Presently when supper was served Charley declared that the meal
more than fulfilled his expectations.

"Why, it makes me think of lamb," he said, "only it's a heap better than
any stewed lamb I ever ate. It's just great!"

"'Twere young and fat," said Skipper Zeb. "We likes porcupine wonderful
well. 'Tis a fine treat _we_ thinks."

Before daybreak the following morning loads were lashed upon the two
flatsleds, and all was made ready for the trail. Snow was not deep
enough to require the use of snowshoes, and they were tied securely upon
the tops of the loads.

"All ready!" announced Skipper Zeb, in his big hearty voice, as dawn
was breaking. "I'll be goin' ahead with the heavy flatsled, and you lads
takes turns haulin' the other. Toby b'y, you take the first turn at un."

"Aye," agreed Toby eagerly, "I'll haul un a spell first."

The rout