y had felled the
tree, he saw Harry sitting on a log, with Frank's gun in his hand, but
nothing was to be seen of the other boys.

As soon as the latter discovered Archie, he burst into a loud laugh.

"No doubt you think it a good joke," said Archie, as he came up, "but
I don't. It isn't a funny thing to tramp through the woods, on a cold
day like this, with your clothes wringing wet. But I've got the
'coon."

"You must have had a tough time catching him," said Harry. "But let us
go down to the camp."

As they walked along, Archie related his adventures; and, when he told
about being "dumped in the creek," Harry laughed louder than ever.

A few moments' walk brought them to what Harry had called the "camp."
It was in a little grove of evergreens, on the banks of a clear,
dancing trout-brook. A place about forty feet square had been cleared
of the trees and bushes and in it stood a small, neatly-built,
log-cabin, which Frank and some of his companions had erected the
winter previous.

Near the middle of the cabin a hole about four feet square, had been
dug, and in this a fire was burning brightly; and a hole in the roof,
directly over it, did duty both as chimney and window.

On the floor, near the fire--or, rather, there _was_ no floor, the
ground serving for that purpose--stood some tin dishes, which one of
the boys had just brought to light from a corner of the cabin, four
plates, as many knives and forks, two large platters, a coffee-pot,
four quart-cups, and a pan containing some trout, which George had
caught in the brook, all cleaned and ready for the spit, and there was
also a large plate of bread and butter.

Frank, who always acted as cook on these expeditions, and knew how to
get up a dinner that would tempt an epicure, was kneeling before the
fire, engaged in skinning some squirrels which Brave had treed for
him.

George was in front of the cabin, chopping wood; and close by the door
lay five 'coons--the fruits of the morning's hunt; and near them lay
the dogs, fast asleep.

Such was the scene presented when Harry and Archie burst in upon the
camp. The latter was greeted with a loud laugh.

"Well, boys," said he, as he threw his 'coon down with the others,
"you may laugh, but I wish some of you were obliged to go through what
I did. I was bound to have the 'coon, if I had to follow him clear to
Moosehead Lake."

"That's the way to talk," said Frank. "Now, throw yourself down by the
fire, and