t'd be more like you to tell us ten flakes didn't make a storm, and that anyway there was always a chance of it giving us th

" replied the other, as he began to undo th

n a tree over yonder," and as he dropped his pack lightly to the ground, he gripped the trusty little twelve-b

gasped Toby; but Elmer had already quitted his chums, and was

eagerness, and waited to see what

was saying in a whisper, "it'd be real nice if Elmer could only bag four plump birds for our

rying," Toby assured them, rubbing the pit of his stomach as thou

've been told partridges are wary old birds, even up here, where they light in the trees afte

ho, being something of a hunter himself, had been c

his pot-shot!"

Then Elmer was seen to hastily run forward,

ther up off the ground. Bully for Elmer! He knows how to work the game, all right. What! another

, indignantly; "why should I be single

rying over to pick a fourth bird up. What d'ye think of that for great luck, now? Four hungry scouts, and a f

l sitting along a limb when he fired, and then he picked that last one when they were on the wing,

a smile of contentment such as usually a

w, and you never saw a prettier sight. I just hated to do such a thing, but even scouts can be fo

h water, thinking how fine they'll go with our coffee and crackers. How fortunate we thought to bring a few things along in case Uncle Caleb might run short on rations. Plenty of coffee, a little tea,

ess of game around us, what's the use of worrying? For one I'm meaning t

d silent, for he was feeling of his partridge and with a frown on his brow that made Toby h

e night, but how did they know? The threatening storm might swoop down with such force that it would virtually imprison them

given charge of the property. There the boy had learned dozens of things that were apt to prove valuable to any one in the woods. Besides, he had made

ush shelter, their best move was to settle down in the lee of one of those cavities formed when a hurricane had toppled

best suited to screen them from the northwest wind. The snow would surely

stop short of darkness, because maybe we'll have to keep a fire going for several days. J

s shack is to the north, east or west. Don't I wish we'd run across him in the woods, and were toasting our shi

we should get bus

must himself have been convinced that the comparison was hardly a good one, judging from the grimac

e did. Those fallen trees had in crashing to the ground broken many large limbs off, and all that was necessary for the campers to

loose wood, until Toby declared t

rised to see what an enormous amount of wood a fire eats up in a single night; and like as not we ma

hat sky threatening us. And to run out, with the snow piled up hip-high over everything wouldn't be the nicest job in the w

ng really sprang more from force of habit than a desire to make himself disagreeable. Sometimes Elmer seriously considered whether it would pay them to try

amp hatchet along. Though its weight had added to his weariness on the march, he had had what he called a "hunch" that it might come

make good sides for the cooking fire, and upon which their coffeepot could rest; for they had

they carried. He knew how soldiers on the march are in the habit of fastening two of these together by means of the grummet holes along the

roots of the fallen forest monarch in such a fashion that it would s

perations in connection with his fire, which was by now sen

ready for the spit," announced Toby, as he to

, to judge by the gingerly way he went at it. Lil Artha had to show him just how

, "that if we were anywhere near home George would be willing to spend his last dime in bribing some boy to finish his job; but that don't go here; no work no pay. Those who expect to

ge his attention, the result was that he got his partridge not only completel

ma, and the four hungry boys each holding out his game near the flames, turning it often in order to all

Toby gav

cup with coffee, Elmer, and let me get started or I'll cave in. George, pass that package

eace!" exclaimed Lil Artha, though he had already put his own teeth into one half of hi

head of them, and were quite merry. Toby joked, and Lil Artha laughed aloud, while Elmer joined them, and even George, placated by having his gnawing pains satisfied, for the time being looked contented with the world.

ed that they were satisfied. Toby professed to be greatly concerned because of this growing scarcity of rations, and as for George, his gloom had returned, sinc

aving finished attending to that clamorous appetite, he thought it worth

snow harder,"

morning, see if 'tain'

forest, and watching the myriads of big flakes steadily falling, as though a storm of the greatest magnitude had come down from the far northwest, where the weather man ke