winter had played sad havoc with the fireplace they had built, and
they had to build a fire in the open. While Whopper and Giant
prepared a substantial supper Snap and Shep put up the tent, on a
bit of high ground. Around the tent they dug a small trench, to
carry off the water, should it storm.

"We want to make sure that our boat doesn't get away from us again
to-night," said Whopper.

"Here is a cove---we can haul her up in that," said Snap, and this
was done, and the craft was tied fast to two trees.

Having had but little sleep the night before, all the young hunters
were tired out, and it was not long after getting supper that they
crawled into the tent and went to sleep. On account of the wind they
did not dare to leave the campfire burning, for they knew only too
well how easy it is to set a forest on fire through such carelessness.

At about two o'clock in the morning Giant awoke, to find the rain
coming down steadily on the tent. He crawled to the front of the
shelter and looked out. All was pitch dark, and, somehow, the
prospect made him shiver. The wind had gone down, and only the fall
of the rain broke the stillness.

"This is lonely enough for anybody, I guess," he mused, and crawled
back to his corners. "Shouldn't wonder if we have to stay in came
tomorrow. But I don't care---it will give us all a chance to rest
up."

He struck a match, to see how the others were faring, and as he gazed