y, and merry evenings in
camp, when they told over the adventures of the day, played games, or
sang college songs to the tinkling notes of the mandolin which Louise
had brought with her. There was an elaborate afternoon tea, when Mrs.
Burnam and Louise devoted their entire supply of tin plates and cups to
the entertainment of the whole corps of engineers, down to the very
axmen, and feasted them upon the miscellaneous delicacies concocted by
Janey and Wang. Three days later, this hospitality was returned by a
grand dinner-party at the lower camp, when venison and trout were the
main dishes of the meal, and the table was set and served with a
masculine disregard for appearances.

But the last night of their holiday had to come. Evening found them all
gathered at Camp Burnam, watching the darkness settle around their
pleasant forest home. Both camps were to be struck on the following day,
for the engineering party was to move down the river at the same time
that the others started for home.

"I have only two things to mourn about," said Charlie meditatively. "I
haven't shot a single bear, and I haven't even seen the tail of a
cayote."

"Wish you had; 't would have been such fun to see you turn and run,"
responded Ned, as he indolently settled himself with his head on Ben's
side.

"Poor old Ben! Does he use you for a pillow?" asked Marjorie, stooping
to stroke the great creature's head.

"I say, Marjorie, stop that," remonstrated Howard suddenly. "When you
pet that end of him, this end wags, and his tail whacks awfully. Do let
him go to sleep, or else warn me, so I can get out of the way."

"You'd better try this, you fellows," advised Ned. "It's fine; the best
bed I've had since I left home."

"What's going on here?" asked Dr. Brownlee, moving up to the group, in
company with Louise and her faithful attendant, the topographer, just as
Howard and Charlie stretched themselves out beside Ned.

"Nothing, only they're getting ready for a nap," said Allie. "Don't you
wish we didn't have to go home to-morrow?"

"I do," groaned Charlie. "I never had so much fun before, and I don't
want to go back to town again. I believe I'll run off and set up in life
as a brave. Will you come, too, Allie?".

"Not if I have to live in a wick-i-up three feet square, and wear your
cast-off blankets," she answered, with some spirit. "I'm just about the
right color for a squaw, though; that is, if I look as badly as the rest
of you do."