fire, as there was nobody within ten miles to hear the cry.
The flames spread rapidly, and Forester and Marco soon saw that there
was nothing to be done but for them to stand quietly by and witness the
conflagration. The flames rose very high and raged fiercely, and the
light shone far into the forest, bringing into distinct view the whole
scene around, which had been involved in deep obscurity. The roof was
soon consumed, but the logs, of which the walls had been built, were
much longer in burning. The fire made by these logs, when they fell in
together upon the bed which Forester and Marco had prepared, was so
intensely hot that it could not be approached for a long time.

As soon as the intensity of this fire had a little declined, Forester
said that they must go to work and build themselves another hut. They
examined the ruins of those which remained, but they concluded that it
would be better to build a new one than to attempt to repair one of
these. They accordingly determined to build one anew.

They found two young trees, growing pretty near each other, which had
branches about six feet from the ground, so situated that they could
place a strong pole across from one tree to the other, resting the ends
upon the branches. This, Marco called the ridge-pole. They then cut
other poles, which they placed with the end on one side upon the ground,
and the other ends upon the ridge-pole. These were rafters, and upon the
rafters they placed a great many branches of hemlock, which formed a
roof. This roof, however, was only upon one side. The other side of the
hut was open, and they built a fire opposite this opening, feeling safe
in regard to their roof, as it was made of green branches.

[Illustration]

This work occupied them an hour. At the end of that time, they put
their potatoes into the fire to roast, and then laid down upon the
hemlock beds which they made, to rest themselves a little while, till
the potatoes should be done. Wearied with their long walk and the labors
of the evening, they fell asleep, and did not wake again till four
o'clock the next morning.

CHAPTER X.

LOST IN THE WOODS.

When Marco awoke, he at first supposed that he had been asleep about an
hour, and he was surprised to see how much the fire had burned down in
that time. He crept towards it, and began to put the brands together,
when suddenly he recollected the potatoes. So he began to feel for them
in the ashes, by means of