Down in their hearts all were deeply grateful that the perils of a possible night on the lake were passed. They were certain that, had they been compelled to remain in that wind and snow, some of them would have perished. Jack and Harry were the first to declare themselves warm and comfortable once more, and, allowing the others to remain seated around the fire, they started off to locate some suitable spot where they might settle down for the balance of the outing. “We don’t want any more snakes’ nests,” remarked Harry, with a laugh. “One is a-plenty.” “Right you are,” replied Jack. “What do you say if we find a circle of trees and build a sort of hut? We can cut down a number of small trees with the ax and fill up the openings by twining in brush and then heaping up snow on the outside.” “Boxy was speaking of that sort of place. We will see what we can find.” They passed along the shore of the lake until they came to a small creek. They walked up the bank of this for a distance of a hundred feet, and suddenly Harry came to a halt. “How is that spot over to the other side?” he cried. “Just the cheese!” responded Jack. The place to which Harry had called attention was one where four trees stood in almost a square. Between the two trees farthest back and those to one side there was a mass of thick brush, while between the two trees on the other side were several large rocks, which had rolled down from a hill beyond. “We can build a hut there without difficulty,” said Harry. “That’s so. First we can clear out the square and pile it up on the rocks to the right. Then we can cut a few slender trees and brace up that brush in the rear and on the left. But how about a roof?” “We can cris-cross half-a-dozen poles in the lowest branches of the four corner trees and pile brush and leaves on top. That ought to make a good enough roof for the time we want to stay. The brush can be twisted pretty tight, you know.” They looked the spot over carefully for snakes, and, finding none, returned to the fire. “That ought to do first-rate,” said Boxy, when he had heard their report. “But we can never build that hut to-night.” “We can fix it up enough to sleep in,” returned Jack. “Come on. We will start another fire on the bank of the creek.” “It’s good it’s on the creek,” said Andy. “If a thaw comes up the water will have a chance to flow away.” “I dun racken we won’t hab no thaw jess yet!” put in Pickles. “It’s gwine to keep on a-snowin’ fo’ a month or moah!” Everybody laughed at this, and they pulled the sled off to the spot beside the creek. Here a second fire was built, and Pickles vowed that he was going to do all in his power to keep it going until they left for home. “To-morrow I’ll git some big knots ob wood an’ a log or two, an’ da’ll burn a week,” he said.