remendous fall of
snow, something like two feet on the level, Paul felt, had utterly
prostrated many of their best plans, and facing a protracted siege of
it did not offer a great deal of attraction.

With the coming of morning they were once more astir, and were soon as
busy as a hive of bees. Each scout seemed intent on getting as much
done as possible while the day lasted.

Tolly Tip alone looked sober. The quaint and honest fellow had taken a
great liking to his guests, and looked forward to their speedy
departure with something akin to dismay.

"Sure the rist av the winter will same a dreary time with not a hearty
young voice to give me gratin' av a mornin'," he told Paul. "Indade, I
don't know how I'm goin' to stand for the same at all, at all."

"I'll tell you this, Tolly Tip," replied the scout leader
emphatically. "If we get off during the Easter holidays some of us may
take a run up here to visit you again. And perhaps you'll find
occasion to come to Stanhope in some business dealings with Mr.
Garrity. In that case you must let us know. I'll call a special
meeting of the scouts, and you'll be our honored guest."

The old woodsman was visibly affected by these hearty words. He led a
lonely life of it, although until the coming of these merry boys it
had not seemed especially so. They had aroused long buried memories of
his own boyhood, and given him a "new lease of life," as he declared.

Nothing remarkable happened on this last day in camp, though numerous
things took place. Paul saw to it that in the afternoon the boys got
everything ready to pack so there would be little delay in the
morning, and they could get an early start if the weather conditions
were at all favorable.

The weather remained good. The great storm must have covered a
considerable stretch of territory east of the Mississippi and the
Great Lakes and cleared the atmosphere wonderfully, for again the
morning dawned without a threatening cloud to give cause for anxiety.

There was considerable bustle inside the cabin and out of it about
that time. Packs were being done up, though in much smaller compass
than when the boys arrived at the camp, since only enough food was
being taken along to serve for a couple of meals.

All the rest they only too gladly bequeathed to their genial host.
Many were the silent resolves on the part of the boys as to what they
would send up to Deer Head Lodge if ever the chance arrived, tobacco
for Tolly T