Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/283

 gits to capering ’round in my system ye’ll find ye have a cripple to tote back to civilization.”

“Never knew you had rheumatism,” said Bub, as they halted in a small opening surrounded by dense growth.

“Never had,” readily conceded Abner. “But I might have. And I’m too old to git use to it.”

The gathering darkness and the fact the hatchets were prohibited made the task of erecting the lean-to an arduous one. Besides the rain was pattering down quite steadily before the last spruce bough was placed on the roof and the three crawled into moist blankets in any but an agreeable frame of mind.

The continual drip-drip of the rain brought a feeling of homesickness to Stanley, which he sought in vain to fight off. His thoughts wandered persistently to the snug home up on Hood mountain and he recalled over and over the kind words and advice of Laura. His companions could not know what was on his mind, nor that long after their regular breathing told they were asleep that he remained awake and miserable.

The morning broke grey and sullen. The rain had ceased but threatened to fall any minute. Stanley gazed hopefully towards the