Instead, they had a splendid great rabbit stuffed with nuts, and roasted roots to eat with it.
They had no crackers either, but Tom and Frank got an immense pile of dry wood, and heaped it in the middle of the rocky bridge that led to the mainland, and early in the day or night--whichever you like to call it--they set it alight.
[Illustration] Now, probably this pile saved some of their lives.

It had been placed there about five days before Christmas, and a huge bear, who had the nightmare I suppose, came yawning out of his cave and down the mountain-side.
He had shambled along to about the centre of the bridge, then lain down among the wood and gone off to sleep.
He slept so soundly that he did not hear the boys crossing over to set the bonfire ablaze.
But when the smoke and crackling flames got towards him he started up and began to trot off, coughing and roaring till all the hills sent back the sound.
So awful was the echo that the boys were for a time almost terror-stricken.

They thought that about a score of bears had left their snow-caves and were swarming down the hill.
Tom fired his rifle, but missed.

Veevee wanted to follow up.
"Only just let me get at him," cried the little rascal, "and I'll tear him limb from limb!" Anyhow that was a fine fire, and it lit up the lake and the woods all about, while the numerous sparks that rose and fell in the air were like golden rain.
After the fire began to fade and to die they all returned to their Christmas dinner in the hut.
No fewer than four candles were lighted to-night, one in each corner of the room.

Oh, Tom meant to do everything in first-class form, I can tell you! And I feel pretty certain that even at home in Merrie England no one that evening ate more heartily or made a better dinner than our Crusoes, all alone though they were in the far-off Frozen North.
After supper they all came round the fire, and the dogs went off to sleep, perchance to dream; but the children kept very wide awake indeed.
And Tom told lots of droll, funny stories, and everybody sang songs.
After this, all the talk was about home and the delightful time they were sure to have in one year's time, when Christmas came round again once more.
Then came sleep, and when Tom looked at his watch--next morning let me call it--it was very nearly twelve o'clock! * * * * * Although it now wanted but a fortnight, according to Tom's reckoning, of the first sunrise, it was still as dark as ever, and but for the moon and stars and glorious Aurora, life about this time would have been very tame and dreary indeed.
Yet, owing to the clearness of the air and the purity of everything around them, the children never once lost heart.