one beneath the other, and these shelves were covered with specimens of
butterflies, beetles and other bugs of every size and description. That
the specimens had been mounted by an expert even an inexperienced eye
could see.

The girls, who had been regarding the oddities of the room with growing
interest, were brought back to a realization of the discomfort of wet
clothes by the owner of the place himself.

The latter had brought firewood from somewhere, and, with the aid of half
a dozen matches, had succeeded in getting a fairly good blaze.

Then with a smile of satisfaction he turned to the girls, rubbing his
hands together genially.

"Come nearer to the fire--come closer--do," he urged in his quick nervous
way. "I am sure you are chilled through--quite chilled through. I will
bring chairs." He stopped abruptly and looked about him with an
embarrassed air, his gaze coming to rest on the only chair which adorned
the room.

Betty, seeing his confusion, was trying to think of something helpful to
say, when the little man suddenly found a way out of his quandary.

"Ah, I have it!" he cried, seizing enthusiastically upon a long bench that
stood on one side of the room. "Four can sit upon this quite easily, I am
sure. A happy thought--a very happy thought--" and he pulled and tugged at
the bench until he succeeded in moving it close to the fire.

Afterward it occurred to the girls that they might have helped him, for it