第70章

The cliff at that point was high, but a creek entered into it through a ravine.At the entrance of the creek into the river they found a deep alcove, or, rather, cave in the rock.It ran so far back that it afforded ample shelter from the rain, and that was all they wanted.It was about halfway between the top and bottom of the cliff, and was difficult of approach both from below and above.Unless completely surprised-a very unlikely thing with them-the five could hold it against any force as long as their provisions lasted.They also built a boat large enough for five, which they hid among the bushes at the lake's edge.

They were thus provided with a possible means of escape across the water in case of the last emergency.

Jim and Paul, who, as usual, filled the role of housekeepers, took great delight in fitting up this forest home, which the fittingly called " The Alcove." The floor of solid stone was almost smooth, and with the aid of other heavy stones they broke off all projections, until one could walk over it in the dark in perfect comfort.They hung the walls with skins of deer which they killed in the adjacent woods, and these walls furnished many nooks and crannies for the storing of necessities.They also, with much hard effort, brought many loads of firewood, which Long Jim was to use for his cooking.He built his little fireplace of stones so near the mouth of "The Alcove" that the smoke would pass out and be lost in the thick forest all about.If the wind happened to be blowing toward the inside of the cave, the smoke, of course, would come in on them all, but Jim would not be cooking then.

Nor did their operations cease until they had supplied "The Alcove" plentifully with food, chiefly jerked deer meat, although there was no way in which they could store water, and for that they had to take their chances.But their success, the product of skill and everlasting caution, was really remarkable.Three times they were trapped within a few miles of "The Alcove," but the pursuers invariably went astray on the hard, rocky ground, and the pursued would also take the precaution to swim down the creek before climbing up to "The Alcove." Nobody could follow a trail in the face of such difficulties.

It was Henry and Shif'less Sol who were followed the second time, but they easily shook off their pursuers as the twilight was coming, half waded, half swam down the creek, and climbed up to "The Alcove," where the others were waiting for them with cooked food and clear cold water.When they had eaten and were refreshed, Shif'less Sol sat at the mouth of "The Alcove," where a pleasant breeze entered, despite the foliage that hid the entrance.The shiftless one was in an especially happy mood.

"It's a pow'ful comf'table feelin',"he said,"to set up in a nice safe place like this, an' feel that the woods is full o' ragin'