three blankets and a thick quilt.
For Jim, the same.
For Tug, three blankets and a piece of old sail-cloth.
For Katy, a buffalo-robe trimmed square, two flannel sheets, three blankets, and a heavy shawl.
Thick woollen nightcaps or hoods for all.
Food (enough to last two weeks, it is supposed, and consisting chiefly of the first seven articles named).—Corn-meal, coffee, sugar, crackers, dried beef, bacon, and ham; also small quantities of potatoes, beans, dried corn, tea, chocolate, maple sugar, buckwheat flour, and condiments. (Katy did not count the luxuries of the first day's evening meal.)
All these supplies, as far as possible, were put into bags made of strong cloth or of heavy paper, or into wooden boxes, and then were stowed under the forward deck. To carry them and the rest of the luggage down to the wharf, a box was fastened upon Jim's hand-sled, and several trips were made.
At last Wednesday afternoon came, and the preparations for the adventurous journey were complete. All the morning had been spent by Tug and Jim in packing away goods in the boat, while Aleck and Kate finished the home-leaving, bringing down a final sled-load with them about two o'clock. Besides this, Katy's arms were full of "suspicious-looking" bundles, as Tug noticed, the contents of which she refused to let any one know before night.
The boat lay hidden underneath the warehouse wharf, and of the few who knew of their intentions nobody seemed to have let out the secret; moreover, the day was unusually cold and somewhat windy, so that few skaters were out, at least, so far down the river. Thus they were not annoyed by inquisitive visitors. Ten minutes after Aleck and Kate arrived the final package had been stowed, the mantle of canvas spread over, the oars and rolled-up tent laid on top, and Tug announced everything ready.
"Then let's be off," said Aleck, as he buckled the last strap of his left skate, and stood up.
"Not till you give the word of command, Captain."
"Captain!" echoed Jim, standing very straight.
"Captain!" Kate caught up the word, and made a funny girlish imitation of an officer's salute. "Not till you give the order, sir!"
"Oho!" laughed Aleck. "That's election by acclamation, I should say! All right; only, if I'm to be Captain, remember you must do as I say at once, and save any arguing about it until afterwards. When you get tired you can vote me out as you voted me in. Will you agree?"
"Yes—agreed!" cried all three.
"Then my first order is 'Forward!'" and so saying he seized a drag-rope and sent the sledge-boat spinning out upon the smooth ice far from under the shadow of the wharf, showing how easily it could be run in spite of its weight, which was not less than five hundred pounds.
"A MOMENT LATER THEY WERE OFF."
A moment later they were off on the first strokes of a trip that proved far more eventful than any of them anticipated—Aleck with the drag-rope, Tug by his side, Jim pulling his sled, Rex leaping and barking, and Kate bringing up the rear with her hands on the stern-rail of the boat. Two or three boys and men called after them, and one followed a little way, but he was sent back with short answers, and in a few moments the church spires, the big, bell-crowned cupola of the High School, and the lofty spans of the railway bridge had been left far behind. Not much was said, for even heedless Jim felt that this was a serious undertaking, and the pleasant scenes they had known so long might never be revisited.
Chapter V.
Comfort in a Log Cabin
The pain of this farewell did not long cloud their faces. Tug and Jim had had no luncheon, and were growing anxious for something to eat. Down at the mouth of the river stood a small cabin, often occupied in early spring by the sportsmen who went for a day's duck-shooting in the great marshes that spread right and left on both sides of the stream. It was buried among big cottonwood and sycamore trees, and was pretty snug. Besides, it had a fireplace, into which somebody had stuck a long iron bolt pulled out of some bit of wreckage on the beach, and which served as a great convenience in the rude cooking of the sportsmen.
At this cabin our party proposed to spend the first night. They thought it would be an easy letting down from sleeping in their beds at home to the tenting they feared they might have to do afterwards. Katy had been the one to suggest this, and Tug had earnestly supported the idea.
"Things don't seem so hard when they come upon you gradually, as the kind-hearted man said when he cut off his dog's tail a little piece at a time, so the pup wouldn't mind it."
The sun was just disappearing straight up the river behind them as the cabin came in sight; and before its half-closed door
"'All bloody lay the untrodden snow,'"
as Kate exclaimed, misquoting her "Hohenlinden" to suit the red glow of the rich evening light.
"Hurrah for supper!" screamed Jim; and with an extra spurt they swung the boat up to the bank.
A little sweeping with a broom made of an alder branch cleared the cabin of the snow that had blown into the cracks and fallen down the mud-and-stone chimney. This done, Aleck called to them to listen to his first orders, which he had written down in a note-book, and now read as follows:
Captain's Order No. 1.—Any order given by the Captain must be obeyed by the person to whom it is addressed, unless his reason for not doing so will not keep till camping-time; merely not liking the duty is no excuse.
Captain's Order No. 2.—The Captain will say when and where camp shall be made, and immediately upon stopping to camp the duties of each person shall be taken up as follows: the Captain shall secure the boat, get out the tent, and proceed to set it up; Tug shall take the axe and get fuel for the fire; Kate shall see to the building of the fire and the preparation of food; Jim shall help Kate, particularly in carrying articles needed, and in getting water; and all, when these special duties are finished, shall report to the Captain for further duty.
Captain's Order No. 3.—Any complaints or suggestions must be made in council, which will commence after camp work is completed and supper is over, and not before.
"There," said Aleck, "do you agree to that?"
"Yes—agreed!" shouted three voices in chorus.
"Then pitch in, all of you; you know your work."
At this Tug seized the axe, Aleck and Jim went to the sledge, and Katy began to kindle a little blaze on the hearth with some bits of dry wood she found lying about, so that when Tug had brought an armful of sticks, a good fire was quickly crackling. Then the iron pot, full of water, was hung upon the old spike, where the blaze began curling around its three little black feet in a most loving way.
"Jimkin," called the girl to her brother, who was gazing with delight at the bright fire, "Jimkin, bring me all those paper packages at the stern of the boat, and be careful of the white one—it's eggs."
"I guess there won't be much tent to set up to-night, Aleck," he remarked,