, we'd better adjourn
to the cabin," and Phil led the way, with the others at his heels.

Hardly had they entered than there was a vivid flash without, followed
by a crash that shook the humble cabin. Then with a shriek the wind
swooped down, the rain began to fall in sheets and the storm was on.

They had seen ordinary storms many times, but one and all were decidedly
of the opinion that this was something beyond the common. When X-Ray
called it a hurricane he was not far out of the way.

Every little while they could hear a crash somewhere near by that
sounded like a big tree falling; and in fact they understood that this
was what was taking place; all of which made them doubly glad they had
so good a shelter.

CHAPTER XV

AFTER THE STORM

"Such a night I've passed; never slept a wink!" groaned Lub, as he
dangled his feet over the side of an upper bunk, and held a heavy head
between his hands.

"Well, all I can say is that you made so much noise snoring I couldn't
hear the wind blow at times; so explain that away if you can. Jump down
there, and stop shutting off what little light there is from me."

That was X-Ray Tyson talking. As Ethan had insisted on making himself a
sleeping place on the floor alongside Phil, X-Ray had pre-empted his
bunk, giving his own to the wounded man, while little Mazie had the
second upper one.

It had indeed been a terrible night.

With little cessation the storm had held forth. At times Phil, lying
awake because it was impossible to get the clamor out of his mind,
wondered if there would be any decent-sized trees left in the North
Woods by the time things settled down quiet again.

He and Ethan were up and busily engaged getting some breakfast ready. It
was as much as they could do to see, so dim was the light; and they did
not dare use the lantern, because their supply of kerosene was limited.

"How'd you like to have been caught out in that whooper, eh, Lub?" asked
Ethan, as the other continued to yawn, and rub his reddened eyes, though
still occupying his position there on the edge of his berth, X-Ray
having crawled out below.

"Please excuse me from answering that question," the other replied. "I
never'd have survived it, I reckon. Bad enough to be in a dinky little
twelve by twelve cabin, let alone a hollow tree, or a make-shift under a
shelving rock."

"Now, none of your making fun of Birch Bark Lodge," warned X-Ray; "it's
been a hunky-dory refuge, all rig