Of course, there was a strong smell of wood smoke in the cave; but not enough smoke to make one's eyes smart. There were some old blankets and rugs on the floor for carpet. Against one side wall was a great heap of balsam boughs, over which were flung robes.
When Sammy came staggering in with the sled he fairly shouted his approval of the cave.
"Je-ru-sa-_lem_! what a jim-dandy place. Say! I bet Neale O'Neil would like to see this."
"Well, you needn't be bringing anybody here and showing it. This is our own particular hideout--Rowdy's and mine. So now," observed Rafe, who seemed to be less friendly than his brother.
"Oh, hush," pleaded the latter. "Do be hospitable, Rafe. Don't you know these kids are our guests?"
"Oh, please don't quarrel about us," urged Tess Kenway gently. "We'll go right away as soon as it stops snowing, and we'll never tell anybody about this cave if you don't want us to."
"Don't mind him," said Rowdy. "He's got a cold and a grouch. Come on, Rafe; help me pluck this rabbit."
"Oh, I'll do that!" cried the red-faced Sammy. "Let me!"
While the little girls were glad to sit before the fire on the blankets, he wished to make himself useful. Besides, to help skin a real rabbit was a height of delight to which Sammy Pinkney had never before risen.
"All right," said Rowdy. "You get the potatoes and onions ready, Rafe. We have salt and pepper and we can have a nice rabbit stew."
"Just fry it," recommended the other cave dweller. "That's less trouble."
"You do as I say!" exclaimed Rowdy, sternly. "There are five of us instead of two to eat, and we've got to make this rabbit go a long way."
"Well, who brought them in? I didn't," said Rafe, angrily. "You knew we didn't have any too much to eat."
"You are a nice one!" began Rowdy, when Tess broke in with:
"I'm awful sorry we came if we are going to make trouble. We can go back under that tree--can't we, Sammy?"
"I'm not going back there," Dot said stubbornly. "There's no fire there. If this other boy doesn't like us because we are girls, can't he go out and live under the tree himself?"
This idea seemed to amuse Rowdy a good deal. He laughed aloud--and the laugh did not sound just like a boy's laugh, either. Tess stared at him wonderingly.