“I reckon we had best make a bargain with ’em,” answered the bully, who thought much of good eating. “Even if they stay here they can’t do much in such a fall of snow.” “Yes, but my pocketbook,” whispered Hiram Skeetles. “More than likely, if it’s around, the snow has covered it completely.” “I wouldn’t have ’em find that for a—a good deal.” “All right, do as you please. But I want something to eat besides deer meat. You promised to take good care of me if I came on the trip with you.” “Do you want to make terms?” shouted Joe. “I reckon as how I might jest as well,” came slowly from Skeetles. “What will ye let me have?” he asked, cautiously. “Whatever we can spare that you need.” “Ye ain’t going to charge me for it, are ye?” “No, we’ll give it to you free and clear, on the condition we have already named.” “When do you want to come to the lodge?” “As soon as you leave it.” “And that must be inside of a day or two,” added Fred. “All right, I’ll agree,” said Hiram Skeetles, with something like an inward groan. “When do we git them stores?” “You can come down to our place now and get them.” “We can’t come out by the door; we’ll have to climb through the window,” put in Dan Marcy. “We don’t care how you come,” answered Joe. “But you must leave your guns behind,” he added, suddenly. “What for?” “Because we won’t trust you with them,” put in Fred, bluntly. This did not please Hiram Skeetles nor the bully, but the young hunters were firm, and were backed up by Joel Runnell, and in the end the pair in the lodge came forth unarmed. “Ye ain’t going to play no trick on us, are ye?” questioned the real estate dealer, suspiciously. “No, we’ll treat you fair and square,” said Joe. They led the way to the shelter under the pines, and allowed those from Snow Lodge to come in over the snow wall to the side of the camp fire. Then all hands looked over the stores still remaining, and Runnell announced the articles which he thought might be spared. “’Tain’t very much,” sniffed Hiram Skeetles. “It’s the best we can do,” came from Joe. “Take it or leave it.” “Oh, we’ll take it,” put in Dan Marcy, quickly, and gathered up some of the articles as he spoke. “Hold on!” cried Harry. “Before you touch a thing you must promise us faithfully to leave the lodge by this time to-morrow.” “We will leave—unless another heavy storm comes up,” answered Hiram Skeetles. “If you are not out, in case it stays clear, we shall consider that we have the right to put you out,” said Joe. “These goods pay for our lease of Snow Lodge for three weeks, starting from to-morrow noon.” “All right,” growled the real estate dealer; and then he and Dan Marcy were allowed to depart with the stores which had been allotted to them. “I guess we’ve made a pretty good bargain with them,” said Joe, when they were alone. “Now we can move into the lodge and fix it up to suit ourselves.”