the browse-padded frame and the side is complete (_B_, Fig. 22). Make the
other side or sides and the roof (_C_, Fig. 22) in the same manner, after
which it is a simple matter to erect your shack (Fig. 22, and _E_, Fig.
22).

Fig. 22. Fig. 23. Fig. 24. Fig. 25. Fig. 26. Fig. 27. Fig. 28.

[Illustration: Shelters adapted to conditions. The beaver-mat and the
fagot shack.]

The great advantage of this sort of shelter is that it is much easier to
do your thatching on the ground than on standing walls, and also, when
done, it is so compact as to be practically water-proof.

Fagot Shack

The fagot shack is also a new style of camp and is intended for use in
places where large timber cannot be cut, but where dwarf willows, bamboo
cane, alders, or other small underbrush is more or less plentiful. From
this gather a plentiful supply of twigs and with improvised twine bind the
twigs into bundles of equal size. Use these bundles as you would stones in
building the wall and lay them so as to break joints, that is, so that the
joints are never in a continuous line. Hold the wall in place by stakes as
shown in Fig. 26. Use the browse, small twigs with the leaves adhering to
them, in place of mortar or cement so as to level your bundles and prevent
their rocking on uneven surfaces. The doorways and window openings offer
no problem that a rank outsider cannot solve. Fig. 27 shows the window
opening, also shows you how the window-sill can be made firm by laying
rods over the top of the fagots. Rods are also used across the top of the
doorway upon which to place the bundles of fagots or twigs. Twigs is
probably the best term to use here, as fagots might be thought to mean
larger sticks, which may be stiff and obstinate and hard to handle.

Roofs

After the walls are erected, a beaver-mat roof may be placed upon them or
a roof made on a frame such as shown in Fig. 28 and thatched with small
sticks over which a thatch of straw, hay, rushes (Figs. 66 and 69), or
browse may be used to shed the rain.

One great advantage which recommends the beaver-mat and fagot camp to
lovers of nature and students of forestry lies in the fact that it is
unnecessary to cut down or destroy a single large or valuable young tree
in order to procure the material necessary to make the camp. Both of these
camps can be made in forest lands by using the lower branches of the
trees, which, when properly cut close to the trunk (Fig. 121), do not
injure