dventurous spirits and its profits to the factors. Those
who have read the preceding books of this series will doubtless
remember the four Boy Scouts named above. Together they had
visited the Pictured Rocks of Old Superior, the Everglades of
Florida, and the great Continental Divide.

During all their journeys the boys had shown courage and
resourcefulness beyond their years, and because of these qualities
they had been chosen, by Mr. Horton, a noted criminal lawyer of
Chicago, to undertake a difficult and dangerous mission to the
Hudson Bay country.

They had traveled by way of the Canadian Pacific to Missanabie,
from which point they had proceeded to Lake Missinale. Here they
had purchased a "Mackinaw," a great flat-bottomed craft, in which
to transport their tents and supplies down Moose river to the bay
of the same name.

They had made most of the journey in native canoes, which they had
learned to handle with considerable skill, but now and then they
had taken refuge on the big boat, "just to stretch their limbs," as
they expressed it. They left Chicago late in September and it was
now almost the last of October.

Those who live in the Hudson Bay country declare that they have
three seasons in four months, Spring comes in June, summer in July
and August, and autumn in September. At the southern extremity of
James Bay, October may scarcely be called a winter month, although
during the latter part of the month ice and snow are not infrequent.

The sun was setting on the lads' first day in camp as the boys
rested from their labor of dragging in great quantities of both dry
and green wood. Their tents were of double canvas, specially
prepared for cold weather, and their bedding and suits had
constituted an important part of their baggage.

Almost the entire fronts of the tents were composed of fine, strong
silk mesh-cloth. The faces of the boys were well anointed with
grease, and masks of mesh-cloth hung about the tents ready for use.

Mosquitos and an insect known as the "bull-dog" had driven many a
trapper and hunter out of the swampy regions around Hudson Bay.
During the summer it is almost impossible to live in the swamps of
that country at all. By protecting their tents and faces, and
keeping great "smudges" going, the boys hoped to be able to live in
comparative comfort during their stay in that section.

"Look here, Will," Tommy said, as he laid down a great armful of
dry wood, "some one ough