quietly, and in the morning the boys found themselves
thoroughly rested.

"It's a grand day for hunting!" exclaimed Fred, as he went outside to
view the landscape. The sun was just peeping over the trees on the
eastern shore of Lake Monona, and soon the dazzling shafts of light were
streaming over the ice and snow in all directions.

"Do you think Asa Lemm and those others will be back to-day?" queried
Randy.

"There's no telling," answered Jack.

While some of the boys were preparing breakfast, the others walked over
to Uncle Barney's cabin. They found the old lumberman already stirring,
and invited him to come over and eat his morning meal with them, an
invitation which he readily accepted, for he had taken a great liking to
all of the Rovers.

"We've been thinking of trying those snowshoes, Uncle Barney," said
Jack.

"No time like the present, boys," was the answer. "I'll show you how to
put 'em on, and how to use 'em, too."

"Won't you go out hunting with us?" questioned Fred.

"No; I'm going to stay around the cabins, in case those rascals come
back. I don't think they will, but there is nothing like being on the
safe side."

The hour after the morning meal was productive of a good deal of fun.
None of the boys had ever used snowshoes before, and consequently in
their efforts to move around on them, they got more than one tumble.

"Great watermelons!" cried Andy, as he pitched headfirst into a
snowdrift. "And I thought using snowshoes was the easiest thing in the
world!"

"It's just like plain walking, Andy; it's got to be learned," answered
Jack, who, a moment before, had had a tumble himself.

Finally, however, the boys managed to remain on their feet fairly well,
and then they started off to do a little hunting along the eastern shore
of the island.

"I don't know as you'll be able to stir up very much to-day," announced
Uncle Barney. "But even a few rabbits and a few squirrels won't be so
bad."

They carried a lunch with them, not knowing whether they would get back
to the cabin by noon or not. They were soon gliding over the snow where
something of a trail led through the woods.

They tramped a good half mile before they saw anything in the way of
game. Then several squirrels appeared, and Fred and Andy had the
satisfaction of laying them low with their shotguns. Then they tramped
on further, and by noon managed to obtain a rabbit and two woodcocks.

"Not so bad but what it might be wors