“Let us get settled down in our new place first,” returned Joel Runnell. “After that we can go on a still hunt for them.” At this all of the boys looked at Teddy Dugan, who blushed through his many freckles. “Teddy, what had you in mind to do?” questioned Joe. “I dunno,” was the slow answer. “I ain’t got nothing to do for the next few days. Father said I could go and visit me uncle, or go huntin’, just as I pleased. I know what I’d like to do.” “What’s that?” “Oh, I reckon I hadn’t better say. You’ve got your club all made up, an’—an’——” “Would you like to stay with us?” asked Harry, quickly. There was something in Teddy’s manner which was very attractive to him. “Yes, I would,” was the blunt response. “But, but——” “Let’s take Teddy along,” said Joe. “All right,” came from the others. “But I ain’t a member of the club?” “That don’t matter, Teddy. You’re a member of the ball team, and that’s enough.” “Especially after that home run you made in the game with the Silver Stars,” added Link, who was a great ball player himself. “Then you really want me along?” And the Irish lad’s face lit up in a broad grin. “Yes,—but you have got to do your full share of camp work,” said Joe. “I’ll do more than my share.” Teddy did a few steps of a double shuffle on the ice. “Say, this just suits me to death! Come on!” And he began to pull on one of the sled ropes with great vigor. The breeze on the lake was so keen that nobody cared to stay out in it longer than necessary. Where the snow was loose the wind often caught it up and whirled it into their faces. “Only a little further to go,” said old Runnell at last, and in a few minutes they turned in and came to a halt not far from where there was a cliff twenty to twenty-five feet in height. Against the rocks rested two immense pine trees which the gales of the previous winter had partly uprooted. “Here is where we can fix up a real good shelter,” said old Runnell. “We can trim off the under limbs of the trees and use them for the sides. Then we can roll up some big snow balls and put ’em right on top of the pine branches, leaving a hole for a doorway. Back in the cliff is a split in the rocks, so it will do for a chimney.” “Then we can have a fire inside instead of outside,” said Harry. “That will be jolly. I was afraid we’d have to put up with a cold sleeping place.” “I’m cold now,” came from Link Darrow. “Guess I’ll have to do a dance to get warm.” “You can get warm chopping some firewood,” said Joel Runnell. “Don’t waste any of your strength. There is plenty of work to do before we can settle down to enjoy ourselves.” CHAPTER XX BUILDING THE NEW SHELTER