.
However, we can keep our guns handy in case he does appear."

Worn out so completely, it did not take the boys long to fall into a
sound sleep, and the old lumberman soon joined them, snoring lustily.
Thus the night passed, and nothing came to disturb them.

Of the lads, it was Randy who was the first to arise in the morning. He
found Uncle Barney in the act of stirring up the fire. The old lumberman
had already brought in some ice to be melted for a pot of coffee.

"I ain't really awake in the morning until after I've had my cup of
coffee," he explained. "That's the one thing that really sets me on my
feet."

"How about the storm?" questioned Randy, and now the sound of his voice
set the others to stirring.

"The storm is about over," was the welcome announcement. "In a little
while I think you'll see the sun peeping out over the woods on the
eastern shore."

"Hurrah! that's good news!" cried Andy, leaping to his feet and
stretching himself. "I must have a look!" and, jamming his cap on his
head, he started for the door. The other Rovers followed him.

Outside they found the snow covering everything to a depth of from
several inches to several feet, but the air was as clear as a bell, and
just beyond the woods, on the eastern shore of Lake Monona, there was a
rosy glow, betokening the rising of the sun.

"It's going to be a grand day!" exclaimed Fred.

"I don't think it could be any better, even though the snow is quite
deep in spots," returned Jack.

Once more they went over the stores which had been brought along, and
took out enough for breakfast. They had with them some flour for griddle
cakes, and soon the appetizing odor of the cakes, mingling with the
aroma of hot coffee and hot chocolate, filled the little cabin. Then
they took turns at frying bacon and making more griddle cakes and eating
breakfast.

"What do you think will be the easiest way of getting to the other end
of the island?" questioned Jack of Uncle Barney, while they were eating.

"Well, as you've got the bobsled and all those stores along, I should
say the easiest way would be to climb down to the lake again," was the
reply. "That wind must have cleaned off some of the ice, and we can get
along a good deal better by skating and by hauling the bobsled over the
ice than we can trying to break our way through the woods in this heavy
fall of snow."

"I was thinking if we walked the length of the island we might stir up
some game," r