nced that they had been making a circle,
as they had landed exactly on the opposite side to that which they might
have expected. From the time they had been moving on, they had probably
made more than one circle; if they started off again, how could they
expect to steer a straighter course. It was evidently growing darker,
and night would soon come on.

The responsibility resting on Philip's shoulders was very great; not
that he felt very uneasy about his brothers and himself, but he was sure
that the dear ones at home would be anxious about them. Had he been
alone he would have made another attempt to reach home; but Charley
could not go further, and Harry would very likely knock up. He
determined to remain on the island during the night, unless the weather
should clear up and they should be able to see their way across to the
main shore. No time, however, was to be lost to prepare for the night
before daylight should altogether depart. Philip was too good a
backwoodsman to have left home without his axe and match-box.

"D'Arcy little thought how useful his fish would prove to us," said
Philip, as he looked about for the best spot on which to put up a shed.
"We shall not starve; for that we should be thankful."

"And look here, we may have a plentiful dessert," cried Charley, coming
up with his hands full of brilliant scarlet berries of a long oval form.
"See, I know that these are good to eat; Sophy was preserving some of
them two days ago, and said so." The berries were the high bush
cranberries which grow on a shrub about the height of the guelder rose.
Charley had soon collected many more than he and his brothers could
possibly eat, especially as they had no sugar to eat them with.

"Come, Charley, as you are able to move about, set to work and collect
wood, for we shall have to keep up a blazing fire all night," said
Philip, as he began to chop away at some small trees to form the posts
of his proposed shed. Harry meantime was getting lighter poles and
branches to form a roof. The spot selected by Philip for the hut was in
a sheltered nook under some thickly matted cedars which would greatly
protect it from the snow. The materials were soon brought together; and
so expert had the brothers become in all handiwork, that they quickly
made it habitable. The roof they covered with birch-bark, picked up
under the trees from which it fell, as also the lower part of the sides,
banking them up with snow. Bou