
          227.

* This we might easily have done had we had on rubber boots.  I think, however,
our way of fixing the feet the best for tramping through deep snow.

crossed it, and continued on the opposite side.  We, however,
found no safe way to follow.*  When quite close to our camp
we kept close to the edge of the brook and finally found a
good crossing place.  In  a little while we were in our
house.  Here, everything was as we had left it, and most
important of all our wood was perfectly dry.  In a little
while we had a fire.  It, however, was not the success, we
had looked for, and learned many things which we could
readily have arranged to make a stay on such a day more
comfortable.  As it was we had no reason to complain;
our fire kept burning and when we were liberal with our
wood it kept us quite warm, unfortunately we had not enough
wood stored and it was entirely out of the question to get
any.  We had a nice piece of rubber cloth stored away,
which would have kept the snow from flying into the front
of our house and into the fire -- but it unfortunately was
hidden this day too snugly.  All these little matters will be
arranged better next time.  As soon as our fire was burning
we took off the bagging, for it was becoming very wet <s>near</s> on acc't
of the heat.  How quickly the time <s>past</s> passed -- we had been kept
        