places
were mere rocky ridges, like islands in the bogs. The land on these
was worthless and the timber had been ruined by fire, so Long Swamp
continued an uninhabited wilderness.

There was said to be a few Deer on the hardwood ridges. Bears and Lynx
were occasionally seen, and Wolves had been heard in recent winters.
Of course there were Foxes, Grouse and Northern Hare. The streams were
more or less choked with logs, but were known to harbour a few Beavers
and an occasional Otter. There were no roads for summer use, only
long, dim openings across the bogs, known as winter trails and timber
roads. This was the region that the boys proposed to visit under
Caleb's guidance.

Thus at last they were really going on an "Indian trip"--to explore
the great unknown, with every probability of adventure.

At dawn Yan tapped the tom-tom. It sang a high and vibrant note, in
guarantee of a sunny day.

They left camp at seven in the morning, and after three hours' tramp
they got to the first part of the wilderness, a great tract of rocky
land, disfigured with blackened trees and stumps, but green in places
with groves of young Poplars or quaking Aspen.

The Indians were very ready to camp now, but the Medicine Man said,
"No; better keep on till we find water." In another mile they reached
the first stretch of level Tamarack bog and a welcome halt for lunch
was called. "Camp!" shouted the leader, and the Indians ran each to do
his part. Sam got wood for the fire and Blackhawk went to seek water,
and with him was Blue jay, conspicuous in a high linen collar and
broad cuffs, for Caleb unfortunately had admitted that he once saw an
Indian Chief in high hat and stand-up collar.

Beaver was just a little disappointed to see the Medicine Man light
the fire with a match. He wanted it all in truly Indian style, but the
Trapper remarked, "Jest as well to have some tinder and a thong along
when you're in the woods, but matches is handier than rubbing-sticks."

Blackhawk and Bluejay returned with two pails of dirty, tepid, swampy
water.

"Why, that's all there is!" was their defense.

"Yan, you go and show them how to get good water," said Caleb, so
the Second Sanger Chief, remembering his training, took the axe and
quickly made a wooden digger, then went to the edge of the swamp, and
on the land twenty feet from the bog he began to dig a hole in the
sandy loam. He made it two feet across and sunk it down three feet.
The roily wate