d while they waited Skipper Zeb and Toby skinned
the lynx, beginning at the hind feet, and drawing the skin whole and
inside out over the carcass. It was then pulled snugly over a board
shaped for the purpose, with the fur next the board and the fleshy side
out, drawn taut and secured. Now, with a sheath knife, Skipper Zeb
scraped it carefully, removing every particle of fat or flesh that
adhered, and when this was completed to his satisfaction he hung the
board with the pelt upon it from a peg to dry.

"It seems like a month instead of three days since I came," said Charley
when supper was eaten and Skipper Zeb had lighted his pipe. "A lot has
happened in three days."

"Things has happened, now! Yes, sir!" observed Skipper Zeb, puffing at
his pipe. "We had a bit of a hard time yesterday, but here we are
to-day all snug and safe and well. Not one of us in a fix, and all goin'
fine."

"I wonder how Mr. Wise felt when he missed me," Charley chuckled. "I can
just see him running around the ship looking for me. I guess he thinks
he's in a fix! Serves him right if he is worried. But," and Charley
sobered, "it makes me feel badly to think of Dad and Mother when they
hear I'm missing."

"Don't be thinkin' o' that now," cautioned Skipper Zeb. "'Twill do you
no good and 'twill do they no good. Just be thinkin' how joyful they'll
be when you goes home in July month. What a fine surprise 'twill be for
un!" And then to change the line of thought, he suggested: "You'll be
needin' a fit out o' clothes for the winter."

"I have some money," volunteered Charley. "I could buy things if there
was a store to go to."

"There's no store this side o' Skipper Blink's shop at Deer Harbour, and
that's a bit down north from Pinch-In Tickle, and we'll not be gettin'
there for two months whatever," explained Skipper Zeb. "Mother, how can
we fit out the lad for clothes?"

"We has a bolt o' moleskin and a bolt o' kersey cloth," said Mrs. Twig.
"I'll make the adikeys from that, and a pair o' moleskin trousers. We're
a bit short o' underclothes. We gets Toby new ones this year, and I can
mend up his old ones to do he for a bit until you goes to Deer Harbour,
and Charley can wear the new ones."

"I'll wear the old ones," objected Charley. "Let Toby have the new ones.
I have the suit I'm wearing, too."

"You have one of the new ones," suggested Toby by way of compromise,
"and with the suit you has 'twill make two. I'll be havin' the other two