ngled," and packed closely. The result was two beds
fifteen inches thick and so springy and comfortable that it made one
sleepy just to look at them. It was perhaps three feet from the beds to
the open front. In this space at one end was a table two feet square
made by driving four stakes into the ground and nailing on a top made of
a flattened sheet of cedar bark.

A little snow had sifted in through the protecting boughs and this
Sparrer swept out with a fir bough for a broom. Pat, meanwhile, had a
kettle of snow melting for water for soup and was mixing up a
johnny-cake. The reflector oven was set before the fire to get heated
and while Sparrer helped bring in the wood which the two choppers had
split Pat sliced bacon and put it on to parboil in the frying-pan,
having melted snow to make water enough to cover it.

"Wot youse doing that for?" asked Sparrer. "Oi thought youse always
fried bacon."

"To get some of the salt out of it, son," replied Pat. "I'll fry it all
right when the time comes. Just you lay out the plates and cups where
they will keep warm."

Sparrer ranged the four agate-ware plates, which were really shallow
pans so that soup could be served in them as well as dry food, against
a stick where they would get warm but not too hot to handle. The
erbswurst was crumbled into the now boiling water, a handful of
julienne, or evaporated vegetables cut in thin strips, was added, the
pan of johnny-cake was put in the oven and the four boys gathered around
to watch and wait with many a hungry sniff. The soup was soon ready, and
Pat announced the first course. How good it did taste as they sat on
their blanket rolls near enough to the fire to enjoy its warmth, each
with a pan of the hot soup on his knees.

Before this was finished Pat poured off the water from the bacon and
that was soon sizzling and throwing off that most delicious of all odors
to a hungry woodsman.

"Course number two!" called Pat as he apportioned the brown slices among
the four plates and then drew forth the johnny-cake, baked to a turn, a
rich even brown all over with a heart of gold, the very sight of which
brought forth gasps of delighted anticipation.

"What's course number three, Mr. Chef?" asked Walter as he prepared to
sink his teeth into his quarter of the corn bread.

"Something worth saving your appetite for," replied Pat, re-greasing the
pan and pouring in the remainder of his batter for another cake. He
poured off all bu