Led by Andy, they were soon on the flat, and in a few more minutes their guide drew rein on the bank of the creek.
“Here’s a likely place to build your shake-down,” he declared.
Dismounting, they took the packs from the saddles, hobbled the ponies, and, under Andy’s directions, fell to work cutting poles, placing them and thatching a hut of boughs, some ten feet long, five wide and six high.
Taking the hammer and nails, their companion drove a row along each side of the roof-pole.
“Always hang your provisions up,” he said, as he suited his actions to his words. “That is, until you have your log cabin, and it’s not a bad plan even then. It saves them from ants and all sorts of prowling animals. And now let’s get dinner.”
“That suits me,” exclaimed Ted. “What shall we have? I can fry eggs.”
“There, we forgot to get a stove, Andy!” exclaimed the elder boy. “That’s one on you. We’re in a pretty fix, miles from anywhere with nothing on which to cook.”
“You sure don’t know much about an entry-man’s life,” chuckled the agent. “You don’t need a stove yet. Just come down to the brook and I’ll show you a trick. How do you suppose trappers and men who roam the woods cook their meals? They can’t be carrying stoves about with them.” And going to the water, he selected a thin flat stone, built others up on three sides and placed the first one upon them.
“There’s your stove. Now build a fire underneath and in a few minutes it will be so hot you can fry your eggs on it. Make another fire and set your coffee-pot in it.
“One thing you must be careful about, though. Always put out your fire—and see that it is out—before you leave it. If you don’t, you may start a forest fire that will take months to put out and destroy thousands of dollars’ worth of lumber.”