He was back in less than five minutes with a lath, which he declared would be just the thing. And so it proved for it slipped through the crack beneath the door with considerable space to spare. “Easy now,” Bob whispered as Jack moved the lath back and forth. “There it is,” he declared as he began to push. A loud bang from within soon announced his success in knocking down the prop. “If that don’t wake him it’s a wonder,” he whispered. A sound as of a bed creaking reached their ears. “I guess it woke him all right,” Jack thought as he held his breath. But, although the sound had evidently disturbed the sleeper it was soon plain that it had failed to arouse him to full wakefulness, for in another moment the unmistakable sound of snoring assured them that he was still asleep. “Luck seems to be with us at last,” Bob whispered, as he began to remove his boots. “Steady there,” Jack laid his hand on his brother’s arm. “I’m going into get them.” “Not much you—” Bob began, but Jack interrupted him. “I know just where they are and I know the lay of the land and you don’t so it’s up to me. Now don’t be foolish.” Bob could not help seeing the force of Jack’s argument and after one more plea, he gave in. “I’ll have ’em out in two shakes of a dog’s tail,” he promised as he took off his boots which he had not laced up. And he was as good as his word. The sleeper stirred and muttered something just as the boy reached the pile of peaveys, and he held his breath. But the man did not wake and in another minute Jack was outside again with three of the peaveys. “Good boy,” Bob declared. “Gee, but I thought he was going to wake up once though,” Jack said as he again pulled on his boots. The snow had been melting rapidly for the past two days and now there was only about a foot of it in the woods while many bare places were to be seen in the open. But the snow, though not deep was soft and slushy and it was hard walking. But so pleased were they that they had been successful in getting the peaveys, that they trudged along in high spirits. “It’s only a little ways down to the rips and I know right where that big pine is,” Bob assured them. Fortunately their boots were nearly enough waterproof so that their feet remained dry in spite of the wet snow. “This isn’t exactly like walking on a pavement, is it?” Rex panted. “Are we going too fast for you?” Bob asked. “No. I g-guess not,” he replied gamely. “But if you don’t mind I’d like to rest a bit. Got a bit of a pain in my side.” “Sure we’ll stop. There’s no hurry. Those fellows can’t be through yet.” “We’re over half way there,” Bob assured him as he leaned against a tree. Rex quickly recovered his wind and after a short rest they started off again. It was very dark and they did not dare to use the flash light for fear that it might be seen by the men. “There they are,” Jack suddenly announced as he, being in the lead, came out onto a knoll from where he could see down the river.