ghs of spruce-fir formed no contemptible
couches. In a very short time they had built a tolerably comfortable
hut. Their fire was the next thing to be attended to. There was plenty
of drift-wood just above the ice, and dead boughs sufficient to keep up
a blazing fire all night: it was soon lighted. Two of the fish were
held before it till they melted sufficiently to allow of being cleaned;
Philip then having cut some forked sticks, forced them into the ground
not yet frozen far down, and with a slender rod spitted the fish, which
he placed on the forked sticks before the fire. "I wish that we could
boil them Indian fashion," said Harry: "I saw an old squaw perform the
operation the other day, and yet she had only a wooden bucket. She got
a heap of stones heated, and then putting some cold water into her
bucket she dropped in her fish and began filling up the bucket with the
hot stones; the water bubbled and hissed, and the fish were soon
cooked."

Their own fish did not take long roasting. They were pronounced
excellent, especially seasoned with the cranberries.

"I say, this is no bad fun after all," exclaimed Charley, who soon
recovered from his fatigue. "If it wasn't for those at home I wouldn't
have missed it on any account."

"I begin to hope that they will not be breaking their hearts about us,"
said Harry; "they must have seen the snow-storm coming on, and will
think that we remained with D'Arcy."

Philip hoped the same, and enjoyed the adventure nearly as much as his
brothers. Supper over and the fire made up, he told them both to lie
down while he kept up the fire and watched for any change in the
weather. Still the snow continued to fall--not a break in the dense
mass of clouds overhead appeared. Philip sat with his feet close to the
fire, and his back resting against the side of the hut. It was
necessary to be very watchful, to prevent the flames catching the
branches on which his brothers lay. He had partially closed the
entrance with boughs, but an aperture was required to let out the smoke,
and he also had frequently to go out and get more fuel, and to watch for
the snow ceasing. Harry and Charley quickly fell asleep. Philip felt
very much inclined to do the same; he tried all sorts of expedients to
keep awake. The hut was not high enough or large enough to enable him
to walk about. He would have gone out, but the fire absolutely required
his attendance; he did get up, and stood on one