said David, "let's have un for supper. Fresh meat'll go fine."

A shot from the rifle, when they had landed, brought the unfortunate
porcupine tumbling to the ground, and Andy proceeded at once to skin
and dress his game for supper.

"I'll be cook and Andy cookee," Doctor Joe announced. "We'll get wood
for the fire, David, and you and Jamie pitch the tent and get it
ready."

Flat Point was well wooded, and the floor of the forest thickly
carpeted with grey caribou moss. David selected a level spot between
two trees on a little rise near the shore. The ridge rope was quickly
stretched between the trees and the tent securely pegged down. Then
David and Jamie broke a quantity of low-hanging spruce boughs, which
they snapped from the trees with a dexterous upward bend of the wrist.
When a liberal pile of these had been accumulated at the entrance of
the tent, David proceeded to lay the bed.

The rear of the tent was to be the head. Here he laid a row of the
boughs, three deep, with the convex side uppermost, then he began
"shingling" the boughs in rows toward the foot. This was done by
placing the butt end of the bough firmly against the ground with half
the bough, the convex side uppermost, overlapping the bough above it,
as shingles are lapped on a roof. Thus continuing until the floor of
the tent was covered he had a soft, fragrant springy bed, quite as
soft and comfortable as a mattress, and upon this he and Jamie spread
the sleeping-bags.

In the meantime Doctor Joe and Andy had collected an ample supply of
dry wood for the evening, and when, presently, David and Jamie joined
them, a cheerful fire was blazing and already an appetizing odour was
rising from the stew kettle.

When the stew and some tender dumplings were done Doctor Joe lifted
the kettle from the fire, and while he filled each plate with a
liberal portion, and Andy poured tea, David put fresh wood upon the
fire, for the evening had grown cold and frosty with the setting sun.
The blazing fire was cheerful indeed as they settled themselves upon
the seat of boughs and proceeded to enjoy their supper.

"Um-m-m!" exclaimed Andy. "You knows how to cook wonderful fine,
Doctor!"

"'Tis _wonderful_ fine stew!" seconded David.

"Not half bad," admitted Doctor Joe, "but Andy had as much to do with
it as I, and the porcupine had a good deal to do with it. It was young
and fat, and it's tender."

There is no pleasanter hour for the camper or voyageur tha