rld. Now suppose we begin your education, Theo,
by teaching you the proper way to eat a brook trout. How would that
lesson please you?"

There was a twinkle in the stranger's eye.

"Very much indeed."

"I rather thought so," was the laughing answer. "Here, Franz, help
Dr. Swift and his son to some of the fish I caught to-day. They are
the first of the season, Doctor, with my compliments." He made a
courtly gesture with his hand. "Remember, Theo," he added, "always to
open a fish up the back. In that way you can take the backbone out
whole and save yourself a deal of trouble."

Theo nodded his thanks for the suggestion.

What a dinner it was!

The trout were fried to a rich bronze, and the crisp potatoes were
discs of golden brown; in addition there were baked beans, smoking
brown-bread, slices of creamy cheese, and a pyramid of doughnuts. At
the conclusion of the meal Franz came running from the cook-house with
a covered dish heaped high with pancakes.

It was only when the three campers were unable to crowd down another
mouthful that they rose from the table.

"Don't you and Theo want to come into my cabin and enjoy my fire for a
while?" asked Mr. Croyden.

"Why, thank you, Croyden," answered Dr. Swift; "we might make you a
short call. We are off to bed early, however, so we must not stay
long."

Mr. Croyden's cabin proved to be a replica of the Swifts' own cozy
one, except that it was more sumptuously furnished; for Mr. Croyden,
who was a hunter as well as a fisherman, had adorned both couch and
floors with great bearskins, trophies of his luck.

As his guests entered he hurried forward to put another four-foot log
on the fire, after which he dragged out three steamer-chairs and
placed them before the blaze.

"All the comforts of home, you see," he said gaily.

"More comforts than some of us get at home," smiled Dr. Swift. "There
is nothing to equal this in New York."

For a moment none of them spoke; they were watching the scarlet rise
and fall of the flame.

"What a lot of company a fire is!" mused Dr. Swift.

"I know it," came from Mr. Croyden. "And did you ever think how easily
we can produce it? Within the space of a second we can start a blaze.
A fire was quite another problem for our forefathers who lived long
before matches were invented. Think back to the time when people
rubbed dried sticks together to make a spark; or later when they were
forced to use flint and matchlock. It meant no