her balked of its prey, it may have been, gave
them little concern. Though the darkness was intense and enemies might
draw very near without being observed, the boys believed they had made
peace with the Indians and the presence of four-footed enemies did not
worry them.

Tom Fish felt very differently about the matter of the Indians'
friendship, but he kept these thoughts to himself for the time being, and
though there are far more comfortable places than a camp in a great
wilderness on a cold November night, the lads from Connecticut would have
been entirely happy had it not been for the mystery of the strange
prowler, the thought that several times they had been secretly fired
upon, and that there was no knowing when another attack might be made in
which the aim of the dastardly assailant need be but a trifle better to
end the life of one or both of them, perhaps.

Yet, even these gloomy facts could not dispel the good spirits which
accompany good health and the hopefulness of youth. Even Tom seemed to
forget his dark forebodings as he was persuaded to tell a number of
stories of his own adventures. Quite comfortable, therefore, though on
the alert to catch the first sound of danger's coming, the little party
sat for an hour or two beneath the rude shelter which had been erected,
while the firelight performed its fantastic feats around them.

Tom volunteered to remain on guard the first part of the night, and crept
out at the back of their little house of poles and brush, that he might
not be observed, should anyone be watching. Then, softly through the
darkness he made his way to a convenient tree against which he leaned, in
the dark shadows. Ree and John, wrapped in their blankets on their beds
of deerskins spread over the autumn leaves, were soon asleep.

A heavy snow was sifting through the swaying branches of the trees when
Tom called Ree and the latter went on watch. This change in the weather
gave the quick-witted sentinel an idea. With the first streak of dawn he
called John to prepare breakfast, then hurried back to the valley where
their cart had been left, taking care to observe that there were no
tracks of any human creature along the way. From the box of the abandoned
two-wheeled wagon he secured two good sized boards and carried them to
camp.

John watched in open-mouthed astonishment as he saw Ree coming up with
the lumber, but in a minute or two he discovered what his friend designed
to do. With