Indians _should_ get into the cabin, we could hide
there just as we did in the tree."

"And you'll have some water in there for me to drink," suggested Bub.

"Yes," answered Charlie; "we'll have everything that we want."

So, assuring himself, by another examination, that matters outside
wore a peaceful aspect, he repaired to the cellar, to commence the
excavation. Luckily for Charlie's plan, the cellar walls had been
carelessly constructed, and in a corner he found a large-sized stone,
that he could remove from its place in the foundation without
disturbing the others. Taking this out, with the iron fire-shovel, he
soon had drawn forth a large quantity of the loose sand.

"Now," observed Charlie to Bub, "you must take the shovel, and throw
the sand about the cellar, while I work with my hands."

This was quite an easy task, the sand was so light and dry. And ere
long he had a place large enough to conceal himself and Bub.

"But," said he, "I shall make it extend farther in, so that if the
cabin is burnt over our heads, it won't be too hot for us."

But Bub made little headway in shovelling the sand; so Charlie
finished the job for him, and then from a heap of litter, which he had
before taken the precaution to scrape into a corner, he took enough to
cover the fresh sand all over.

"Now," said he, "let's try our new cave;" and, squeezing through the
hole from which he had taken the stone, Bub creeping in after him,
Charlie reached out and drew the stone into its place again. Charlie
was delighted.

"I like this!" he exclaimed; "it's more like Robinson Crusoe's
cave."

Bub thought he liked it too, but soon cried out, "I can't hardly
breeve; an' it's drefful dark."

"It's lucky I've tried it," replied Charlie; "but I'll fix it all
nice."

And pushing out the stone with his foot, he went up stairs, and
returned with an old bayonet, with which he succeeded in dexterously
working some small holes through the mortar, with which the crevices
of the ill-matched stones were filled. This was so ingeniously done,
that it would not be noticed; and yet enough light and air were let in
to make the place tolerable for the purpose for which it was
intended.

It was now past noon, and they went up stairs, and Charlie looked out
again, to see if there were any signs of danger; but still "all was
quiet along the Potomac."

"I don't think," sagely observed Charlie, "that the Indians are ever
coming back. In my opinion th