we're up here," suggested
X-Ray; "seeing if we can run across their _cache_ where they've gone and
hid away their molds, and other stuff."

"Oh! now you're only guessing," Lub told him. "It may be they were game
poachers after all, no matter if the coin is a bad one. I'm sorry this
had to crop up the first thing, when we aimed to have such a jolly time
of it here."

"We'll have that, all right, whether or no," said Phil; "and first of
all let's get busy with our duffle. If we're going to live in this shack
it's our duty to make it look like home to us. Ethan, suppose you attend
to the fire, and the rest of us will take care of the cooking."

"That's the ticket!" Lub ventured; "if I can do anything to help just
let me sit here, and peel potatoes, or make the coffee. I'm pretty
tired, you know; and besides it seems to me I get in everybody's way
when I move around."

"Because you occupy so much room, Lub," X-Ray told him, cheerfully; "but
it's all right, and we'll find some use for your hands. How about water;
shall I take our collapsible pail and fetch some from the lake?"

Upon being told that some one must go, the spry lad darted out of the
door, and reappeared a few minutes later with a brimming pail.

"I want to tell you all that it's going to be a dandy night," he
chortled as he set the pail carefully down so that Lub, who was holding
the aluminum coffee pot in his hands, could easily reach it; "moon's
just coming up over across the lake, and about as full as could be."

"Well, some of the rest of us are hoping to be in the same condition
before a great while," Ethan ventured, as he stepped over to the door,
and looked out, to immediately add: "I should say it is a glorious
sight, with that yellow streak shining across the water, and the little
wavelets dancing like silver. Phil, this is the greatest place ever. If
you hunted a whole year you couldn't beat it. And we ought to have the
time of our lives while we're up at Birch Bark Lodge."

All of them were filled with delight. Being only boys, and with no
particular cares weighing heavily on their minds, they refused to see
any cloud on the horizon. Everything was as clear and lovely as the sky
into which that full moon was climbing so sturdily.

Soon the delightful odors of supper began to pervade the atmosphere.
That made it seem more than ever like a real camp. Lub was doing his
share of the work like a hero. They had found a place where he could sit
at