Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/106

 Stanley was keenly interested in observing how Charlie prepared the birds. Cleaning them with incredible quickness he brought from the shore a mass of clay and without removing the feathers placed the clay about the birds until each was a huge moist ball. Before so enveloping them he filled them with a dressing made of bread and onions, several of the latter being brought for this purpose.

“Who do you expect to eat that mess?” asked Stanley, turning up his nose in disgust.

“I will if I git to it first,” assured Bub.

“Bah! it’s all clay. I’m not a clay eater.”

“No one will make ye eat it,” said Abner. “I’ll eat yer share.”

After the evening meal the two men smoked in silence for a short time and then knocking out their pipes into the carefully arranged fire they proceeded to turn in between the blankets, lying with their feet to the blaze.

“It’s too early for bed,” whispered Stanley.

“You’ll git use to going to bed early up here,” explained Bub. “It’s impossible to sleep after sun-up. Minute it begins to git light seems if you must be up and hustling.”

It was Stanley’s first night in a leanto. The