The Camp in the Snow

lying on a soft bearskin in a small, picturesquely-furnished room.

ing rods and paddles. The fourth was of heavy timber, and contained a door and a shuttered window. De

nd well knit, with dark hair and a swarthy, honest face. Th

k, as he pulled himself

rs hastened

the elder lad. "I was j

n," replied Brick. "I've got

e like that over your eye. D

"up to a certain point.

down near the water. We chased him a short distance, and he fired at us twice. We found you

"and you saved something else, too. This is what the ruff

pocketbook. Then, in a few words, he rela

ss of my overcoat," he concluded. "It would h

"We stumbled over it when we were chasing t

he went through the pockets of the garment. "By Jove! they're

ld be made of the stolen letters, or what a harvest

have to be moving soon. It's getting late, and-- Hullo! something just stru

es. Possibly they thought that t

ton and Hamp Foster, and this is the dug-out

ed in open-mo

enton," admit

e," added his companion, "

er Tom Fordham, the chap from New York that spent a vacation h

broke on

" they exclaimed,

r him talk of his bes

ied Hamp. "Bu

wasn't going to spend the time on a lot of musty books, so I concluded I'd come up to Maine, and go deer hunting. My folks are in Europe, and a lawyer down in New York is my guardian as far as money matters go. I'm my own master in oth

my father is laid up with rheumatism, and

guide. Look here, are you fellows in any trouble? You both

to admit that they were in serious trouble, and that they had com

le money he left was soon spent, and now Hamp had just been thrown out of employment by the closing of the m

do, and money was sorely needed for his sick father. His mother had former

ld see that the boys were proud, and that it would neve

know as much about the woods as regular gu

good deal," replied Jerry, modestly. "We'

of more than one bear or deer. If it wasn't for our being so young we m

ake me into the woods I'll pay each of you fifteen dollars a week, and

cketbook and sho

" he added. "I have near

brought tears to their eyes to think of the relief

tremulous voice. "I'll gladly go if my f

her won't obje

. "I can hardly wait till we're off. I've been

t guns or hunti

never shot anything bigger than a blackbird i

h," promised Hamp. "Just wa

th the freedom of old friends, and

nts were made, and Brick provided hims

he police, but without success. Mr. P

crisp December afternoon when the young hunters landed at Katahdin I

and fifty miles from the coast, an

orthward-to the end of a rugged lumber trail. The next day they pushed ahead on foot, traili

and built a-temporary lean-to among the rocks and trees. They wer