Disaster had befallen him on the way.

While crossing Lurvey's Stream, the team had broken through the ice where the current beneath was swift.

He had saved the oxen; but the sled, with our beef pork, beans and potatoes, had been drawn under and carried away, he knew not how far, under the ice.
A stare of dismay from the entire hungry party followed this announcement.

It looked like no supper--after a hard day's work! Worse still, to Addison and myself it looked like the crippling of our whole program for the next five days; for a lumber crew is much like an army; it lives and works only by virtue of its commissariat.
But now Aunt Olive rose to the emergency.

"Don't you be discouraged, boys!" she exclaimed.