“Wal, kinder,” the boss admitted. “Most of the grub, ye see, was stored in the ell. But ye needn’t worry; we won’t starve. I’ve started a team for Coreytown for supplies. It ought to be back by night.” Sam meditated for a moment. “Look here, Mr. Kane! We’re half a dozen extra mouths to feed, and we can’t help being more or less in your way. And there isn’t any reason why we should stay. All of us brought our snow-shoes, and it’ll be just as much sport--yes, more--to be marching out on them as to be tramping about the camp. Father’ll understand. With the early start we’ll make, we can reach Coreytown long before dark. It isn’t over a dozen miles----” “Call it fifteen.” “Well, fifteen, then. It’ll be bully fun for us.” It was the foreman’s turn to deliberate. “Wal, I dunno. Hate like time to be seemin’ to throw ye out! Only we can’t make ye extry comfortable, mussed up the way we be. And goin’ out would be safe enough. Track’s plain, and the road’s broke. I dunno, I dunno.” “I think we’d better not stay, sir.” “Wal, suit yerself, of course. There’s kinder a feel o’ more weather in the air, but likely’s not it’ll hold off a spell. And the road’s in good shape. Then, too, there’s the short cut. If ye knew the lay of the land it’d save you a lot o’ distance. The road’s the long way ’round, ye know--makes jest about a right-angle.” The Shark and Step, who had come up, overheard this. “You mean, then,” queried the former, “that we could lessen effort by taking the hypothenuse?” The foreman smiled. “Or words to that effect, sonny.” “I comprehend the proposition perfectly,” the Shark solemnly assured him. “It may be regarded as elementary.” “I’m for the march,” Step declared. “Say, it’ll beat old Xenophon’s Anabasis to a frazzle!” “I’m for anything that’ll do that!” cried Poke, who had joined the group. “_Enteuthen exelaunei_ on snow-shoes, by Jiminy!” “Umph! Never did get the hang o’ French myself,” quoth the boss. “But you fellers’d better talk over things in plain English. Then let me know what ye decide on.” Herman Boyd, called to the conference, added his vote to those of his friends. Tramping out on snow-shoes would be the greatest kind of a lark. The Trojan was of the same opinion. Tom Orkney and Mr. Kane were in consultation in a corner. When the foreman moved off, Sam joined Orkney. “The boys are unanimously for tramping down to the settlements,” said he. “I know. The boss told me how you felt,” Tom answered. “Seems wisest. Grub’s short here, and the trip will be easy. Lon can come out when he’s ready. Most likely my father will pick him up.” “Yes.” There was a pause, not free from embarrassment. “I--I hope you’ve been thinking things over,” Sam ventured. “You said you would, you know.” “I have thought them over,” said Orkney stolidly. “You’ll come with us?” Orkney hesitated. “I--I--well, I’ve laid the facts before Mr. Kane. And he--he’s a mighty square man, Parker!” “He’ll release you? And you’ll come?”