no attention to it before except for
its concealment, but, as their figures relaxed after long effort, chill
struck into the bone. They had kept their rifles dry with their hunting
shirts, but now they took their blankets from the packs and wrapped them
about their shoulders. The blankets did not bring them warmth. Their
soaked clothing chilled them more and more.

They had become inured long since to all kinds of hardships, but one
cannot stand everything. Now and then a spurt of hail came with the
rain, and it beat in their faces, slipped between the blankets and down
their necks, making them shiver. Their weariness after so much exertion
made them all susceptible to the rain and cold. Finally Henry called a
halt.

"We must find shelter somewhere," he said. "If we don't, we'll be so
stiff in the morning we can't walk, and we'll be lucky to escape chills
and pneumonia, or something of that kind."

"That's right," said Shif'less Sol. "So we'll jest go into the inn,
which ain't more'n a hundred yards further on, git dry clothing, eat a
big supper, have a steaming hot drink apiece of something strong an'
then crawl in on feather beds with warm dry blankets over us. Oh, I'll
sleep good an' long! Don't you worry about that!"

"Solomon Hyde," said Long Jim Hart indignantly, "ef you don't stop
talkin' that way I'll hit you over the head with the barrel uv my rifle.
I'm cold enough an' wet enough already without you conjurin' up happy
dreams an' things that ain't. Them contrasts make me miserabler than
ever, an' I'm likely to get wickeder too. I give you fair warning'."

"All right," replied Shif'less Sol resignedly. "I wuz jest tryin' to
cheer you up, Jim, but a good man never gits any reward in this world,
jest kicks. How I wish that rain would stop! I never knowed such a cold
rain afore at this time o' the year."

"We must certainly find some sort of shelter," Henry repeated.

They searched for a long time, hoping for an alcove among the rocks or
perhaps a thick cluster of trees, but they found nothing. Several hours
passed. The rain grew lighter, and ceased, although the clouds remained,
hiding the moon. But the whole forest was soaked. Water dripped from
every twig and leaf, and the five steadily grew colder and more
miserable. It was nearly midnight when Henry spied the gleam of water
among the tree trunks.

"Another spring," he said. "What a delightful thing to see more water.
I've been fairly longing for somet