s old, with brown hair and a slight,
yellowish mustache. His face was good-humored and rather prepossessing.
He wore gray trousers, and a short, but heavy, overcoat was buttoned up
to his throat.

"You've got dry clothes for the lad?" he asked.

"Yes; each of us has an extra suit," replied Hamp.

He and Brick bustled in and out of the cabin, and in a brief time they
had Jerry attired in dry garments. His lips were still blue, and he
shivered as though he had a chill. The boys wrapped him in blankets, and
made him sit close up to the fire. Then they heaped on quantities of
wood, until the roaring flames were leaping high.

The stranger took a small flask from his pocket and wrenched a metal cup
from the end. Into the latter he poured a few drops of a reddish liquor.

"Drink this, lad," he said, handing the cup to Jerry, who drained it
hastily and made a wry face.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Brandy, and prime stuff, at that. It's thirty years old."

Jerry shivered to think what the stuff would have tasted like had it
been twice as old.

It was just what he needed, however, and in a short time the shivering
ceased, and the color came back to his cheeks.

"How do you feel now?" asked Hamp.

"Splendid. It's awfully snug and warm under these blankets. I'll bet you
fellows were scared when I went through the ice."

"Well, I should say so," replied Brick. "We never expected to see you
again. How did you get to that hole, anyhow?"

"It was presence of mind did that," declared Jerry. "You see, as soon
as I broke through, a sort of an under-current sucked me deep down and
to one side. I opened my eyes and began to swim. I came up with a bump,
and then I knew I was clear under the ice. I saw a gray streak away off
in front of me. I knew it must be the light shining through an
air-hole, and swam for it. Then I went up head first, and you fellows
know the rest. My rifle is at the bottom of the lake, though."

"We've got guns enough without it," replied Hamp. "Don't worry about
that. You can be mighty glad that you're not beside the rifle, Jerry."

"It was, indeed, a most marvelous escape," said the stranger. "Had this
brave lad been drowned, I should have put the blame upon myself. It was
to save me from the catamount that you lads ventured out on the lake."

"I only wish we had killed the brute," grumbled Jerry.

"Yes, it is unfortunate that he got away," admitted the stranger. "But I
forget that I have not yet in