rable point of attack,
there being no windows in the cabin. Pat worked around to a point where
he could put a bullet through this crack by way of warning and his shot
was followed by the closing of the door.

"Ut remoinds me," said he with a comical grimace as he slipped into the
brogue, "av the first skunk I iver caught. 'Twas in a box trap, and
having got the little baste in the trap I didn't know how in the
mischief to get him out."

Meanwhile the three boys had obediently remained at their posts. They
had witnessed the parley and the shooting, but just what it all meant
and what the results were they could only guess. They were a-shake with
excitement, and fairly ached with curiosity. Shortly after the last shot
Pat joined them and briefly explained what had happened, and the present
situation.

"There's only one thing we can do now," said he, "and that is to smoke
the old fox out. This is where you fellows, or one of you, anyway, will
have a chance to take a hand. The snow is banked clear to the roof here
at the back and it will be no trick at all for one of you to steal down
there to the chimney. He's got a fire there now, but the minute he
suspects what is up he'll put that out. We've got to give him something
he can't put out. I've got on an old sweater that's about worn out. A
couple of you can slip around down where we passed those cedars and
strip off enough bark and that hanging moss to stuff it out so that you
can make a ball of it, and stuff it down the chimney with a pole so that
it will stick half-way. On top of that you can drop some rolls of
lighted birch bark and have ready the thickest fir boughs you can find
to clap on top of the chimney. Walt, you better tend to putting the
stuff down the chimney, and mind you work fast. And don't lean over it.
When he finds what is up he's likely to try a pot shot up the chimney in
the hope of blowing the stuff out. If you have good heavy boughs on top
he can't do it. Alec and I will watch the front to get him when he comes
out. Have plenty of bark and get it going well before you toss the rolls
in. As long as you don't get over the chimney and keep off the roof
there will be no danger. The roof is of bark, and he may take a chance
shot up through it, so work from the drift on this end."

Hal and Sparrer went after the moss, while Upton made a trip over to a
clump of birches and stripped off the bark. Then with his belt axe he
cut a number of fir boughs. By th