Nelson J. Augustine

The boy scouts returned with a great supply of fir boughs, just
as Joshua was beginning the row directly about the first row. The
second row overlapped the first row by a foot. The third row like-
wise overlapped the second row, and so on, until Joshua had reached
the top.

“See how the rain runs down the upper row of boughs,” Joshua
demonstrated. “When it gets to the next row it keeps running down,
to the next rows until it runs off onto the ground at the back. Neat,
huh? You guys want to try one. We might need two lean-to’s.”

Joshua supervised the boys’ progress as they avidly worked on
the second lean-to. The work was finished and Joshua seemed sat-
isfied with the craftsmanship.

“My grandfather uses cedar boughs for the floor,” Joshua com-
mented and he began to gather some. “We’re going to need more
firewood, too, for the whole night.”

Within minutes, the boy scouts demonstrated how well they
had learned their lessons, when they brought back armloads of dry,
seasoned hardwood. The boys were laughing and beginning to look
like they were enjoying themselves.

Stanley, who had been sullen throughout the entire situation
and who had done nothing but squat by the fire, warming his hands,
abruptly rose to his feet and declared, “We’re still twenty-five miles
from nowhere. What are we going to eat, how are we going to get
back?”

Instinctively, the boys turned to Joshua. Joshua smiled and said,
“My Dad’s coming by tomorrow, but if you guys want some rab-
bits for breakfast, I'll set up a few snares right now. I saw a few
nice rabbit trails back there. I’ll guarantee at least two by morn-
ing.”

“Yeah!” the boys declared unanimously, gathering around
Joshua, eager to learn the next lesson in wood lore.

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