illing to go along and would really have felt
slighted had they been left behind showed how much they had developed
since coming up to the camp. They not only thought nothing of getting up
before daybreak and going off over two lakes but they knew that when
they got there, they would merely load themselves down with grub and
come back. What would have seemed to them a big day's work only a few
weeks before, they were now eager to do before breakfast.

Such is the way of the wilderness. Men get to see that every one must do
his share and a little discomfort is scoffed at. The boys enjoyed the
early morning paddle through the two lakes, while the portaging of the
canoes was by this time mere child's play to them. They really thought
nothing about it and took their turn when traveling light just as a
matter of course. The improvement in Pud was the most noticeable. He had
lost weight and was quicker on his feet and handled himself much better.
They arrived at the ford to find Mr. Waterman busy getting everything
ready to move out. He had things in good shape and in ten minutes they
were on the back trail. There were so many of them that the weight
assigned each was comparatively light and they walked away at a rapid
pace. Before seven o'clock, they were back on Lac Parent and with
appetites that would have been the delight of an epicure.

Jack was the only one that had remained behind and as soon as they
disembarked, he called them. They all came running. He had salmon
steaks, hot biscuits, porridge with milk and apricots. They certainly
enjoyed the meal, went fishing as usual. Coming back about eleven
o'clock, they went in for a swim and got a lot of enjoyment out of this.
In spite of the northern clime in which they were, the shallowness of
the lakes permitted the water to get pretty well heated by the hot July
and August sun, and swimming was a real pleasure. It was only now and
then when they struck a lake fed mainly by springs that they found the
water too cold for swimming.

The next day, Pud suggested that they should go over to the cabin in the
gulch, called by all the German spy's hut, and explore.

"That's a good suggestion," said Mr. Waterman.

"We can easily do it in a day," said Pud.

"Possibly not," said Mr. Waterman. "We'll take sufficient grub for a
week for we do not know just where our search may lead us. We may come
out on the Portneuf River, fifty or sixty miles away."

"I didn't think of that,"