WINTER-QUARTERS. 243 
side toward the woods, but presenting an abrupt and 
vertical face, some six feet high, at its opposite extremity. 
Solomon resolved that this should form the back of his 
fireplace, which was to be midway in the longer wall of 
the hut. 
Four logs were now laid on the ground, and carefully 
levelled by wedging them into place with rocks and turf. 
They formed a perfect parallelogram, forty feet by twenty- 
five. The rear forty-foot log came within three feet of 
the perpendicular face of the boulder just described. This 
log was now cut away in front of the intended fireplace, 
which was to be six feet broad. 
The logs were notched deeply at the corners of the hut, 
and saddled, as had been done in the raft-making. At 
every point a strong upright pole was driven to hold the 
ends of the logs which were not supported by saddling on 
others. This was necessary at the sides of the fireplace 
and the door. The full length of the lowest log was left 
across the latter, as Solomon explained that it would make 
the whole hut firmer, and they could easily step over it 
in going in and out. 
The laying of the four foundation timbers, and driving 
stakes, occupied the builders until eight o'clock, when 
darkness stopped the work. That night the mercury in 
Mr. Button's little camp-thermometer fell to 29° Fahren- 
heit, and ice formed across puddles and in deep footprints 
down by the brook. The sun came out warmly, however ; 
and the bracing atmosphere not only added an incentive 
