Page:Hendryx--Connie Morgan with the Mounted.djvu/272

254 Connie prepared his meal, he hopped up every few minutes to peek through the loophole at the four sealskin-clad figures, who, after circling the cabin a few times, settled themselves upon the snow. Standing upon his bench, the boy ate his bacon and beans as he watched the men jump up at intervals to slap their arms across their chests and stamp about in the snow to keep warm. A stiff wind had arisen and it was growing colder. With his axe Connie drove the plugs into the loopholes on the windy side of the cabin.

"Ahoy!" called a voice from the outside. "We're froze!"

"Why, hard men like you oughtn't to freeze," taunted the boy. "If you're cold why don't you build a fire?"

"They hain't no wood."

"Plenty back in the scrub."

"But we hain't got no grub, an' we're hungry."

"Hard men oughtn't to get hungry. Eat a few of those suet balls."

"They're pizen!" cried the man.

"Eat 'em anyway. You're hard."

"Hey, ye can't starve us!" broke in another.

"If I can't you must have grub."