WINTER-QUARTERS. 245 
git a lot o' them leetle roots, and bile 'em half a day. 
Then they'll hold till the caows come home." 
Chink! chunk! went the axe, and the poplar chips 
began to fly in such a shower that Chloe was glad to 
retreat. Hugh helped her to gather the roots, and before 
night she had an ample stock of spruce thread. The 
mats grew daily after that. Flossie was never tired of 
seeing the old nurse braid rushes, and even helped with 
her own little thin fingers once in a while. 
The hut was floored with long spruce poles, laid 
side by side, and hastily levelled. Chloe' s mats laid 
over these, with a few fir boughs under the hollows 
and uneven spots, would make the hut comfortable 
under foot. 
The walls were raised higher and higher. Solomon 
chopped steadily from morning till night. " Bein's the 
others had I'arned haow to lay the logs," he said, "he'd 
better use the axe." No one disputed him, for he could 
chop twice as fast as any other person in camp, besides 
showing superior judgment in selecting and felling the 
trees. 
The inside of the hut was roughly partitioned off with 
light upright poles, covered with bark, to the height of 
about seven feet. Above that, interstices were left, for 
free circulation of air. Across the ends opening into the 
main room, they expected to hang skins, which could 
be drawn back most of the time. Two small window- 
openings were left in the front wall. When asked how 
