84 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



" Oh, look at the floor ! " exchiimecl Dodo ; " it's 

 made of bricks set in a wiggly pattern, with sand in 

 the cracks ; and the beams show overhead, and there's 

 no plaster on the walls." 



" I think we could make a really wild-looking place 

 of this, if we only had some skins, and antlers, and 

 guns, and such things," said Olive, walking about the 

 room (juite as much excited as her little cousins. 



Rod had taken all the rubbish away and made the 

 room clean, but the Doctor wished the young people to 

 have the pleasure of fitting it up themselves. 



" Come up in the attic and out in the lumber room in 

 the barn, and I think we sha.U find what we need ; mean- 

 while Rod will start a fire." 



In half an hour or so tlie procession returned, every 

 one carrying something, wlale Mr. Blake and the 

 Doctor lirought in an old-fashioned settle — a sort of 

 table with a top tliat tips back and a box underneath, 

 making a very comfortable seat. This they placed in 

 the middle of the room facing the fire, and then went 

 back for two long benches, such as were once used in 

 country schools. 



"May we lia\'o one chair with aback for mother to 

 use when she comes?" asked Dodo, who had been 

 told that in a real camp tliere was little or no furni- 

 ture. 



" Aroi't there to be an}' bunks ? " pleaded Nat. 

 " Rap and 1 thought we should like to try sleeping out 

 here some time." 



"Not so fast," said the Doctor. " Here, Olive, I will 

 drive some nails in tlu; chimney cracks and you can 

 hang up the pots and pans and tin cups, for you will 



