ugh to pry up those three
bars and scratch the door out of place. Moreover, it could not
happen by accident. It took them three laborious days to make
and fit this door, but when the task was done they contemplated
it with just pride.

"I call that about the finest piece of carpenter's work ever done
in these mountains," said Albert in tones suffused with
satisfaction.

"Of course," said Dick. "Why shouldn't it be, when the best
carpenters in the world did the job?"

The two laughed, but their pride was real and no jest. It was
late in the afternoon when they finished this task, and on the
way to the cabin Albert suddenly turned white and reeled. Dick
caught him, but he remained faint for sometime. He had
overtasked himself, and when they reached the cabin Dick made
him lie down on the great buffalo robe while he cooked supper.
But, contrary to his former habit, Albert revived rapidly. The
color returned to his face and he sprang up presently, saying
that he was hungry enough to eat a whole elk. Dick felt a might
sense of relief. Albert in his zeal had merely overexerted
himself. It was not any relapse. "Here's the elk steak and you
can eat ten pounds of it if you want it," he said.

They began early the next morning to move supplies to the Annex.
High up in the hollow they hung great quantities of dried meat of
buffalo, elk, and mule deer. They also stored there several elk
and mule deer skins, two wolf skins, and other supplies that they
thought they would not need for a while. But in the main it was
what they called a smokehouse, as it was universally known in the
Mississippi Valley, their former home--that is, a place for
keeping meat cured or to be cured.

This task filled the entire day, and when the door was securely
fastened in place they returned to the cabin. After supper Dick
opened the window, from which they could see the Annex, as they
had cut away a quantity of the intervening bushes. Albert
meanwhile put out the last coals of the fire. Then he joined
Dick at the window. Both had an idea that they were going to see
something interesting.

The valley filled with darkness, but the moon came out, and,
growing used to the darkness, they could see the Annex fairly
well.

Dick wet his finger and held it up.

"The wind is blowing from the Annex toward us," he said.

"That's good," said Albert, nodding.

They watched for a long time, hearing only the dry rustling of
the light win