It was those explorin' parties thet cut the trees.

I seen Indian sign out there, made last winter, I reckon; but Indians never cut down no trees." The hunters completed the cabin, piled cords of firewood outside, stowed away the kegs of dried fish and fruits, the sacks of flour, boxes of crackers, canned meats and vegetables, sugar, salt, coffee, tobacco--all of the cargo; then took the boat apart and carried it up the bank, which labor took them less than a week.
Jones found sleeping in the cabin, despite the fire, uncomfortably cold, because of the wide chinks between the logs.

It was hardly better than sleeping under the swaying spruces.

When he essayed to stop up the crack, a task by no means easy, considering the lack of material--Rea laughed his short "Ho! Ho!" and stopped him with the word, "Wait." Every morning the green ice extended farther out into the lake; the sun paled dim and dimmer; the nights grew colder.

On October 8th the thermometer registered several degrees below zero; it fell a little more next night and continued to fall.
"Ho! Ho!" cried Rea.