“Like fun we did,” grunted Bumpus; “that pack of mine weighs an awful lot; and then the old coffee pot keeps cracking my shins every time I trip. But of course,” he hastened to add, as though he hoped they would not believe he was complaining, “we couldn’t think of going without our refreshing Java for breakfasts. Life’d be pretty dreary to Giraffe, and a few of the rest of us, if we didn’t have their favorite beverage mornings.”
“But look out there, fellows, and tell me if you don’t think it’s really getting some lighter,” Step Hen besought them.
“Well, you can see the trees a heap better than before,” admitted Giraffe; “but that might come from our eyes getting more accustomed to looking into the darkness.”
“No, it’s full time for day to break,” they were assured by Allan, who had immediately turned toward the friendly little lamp so as to examine his watch.
A general sigh as of relief followed this welcome announcement. That had been a terribly long night, and one those scouts were not apt to forget in a hurry. They may have been through considerable in the way of adventure in the past, but somehow that experience of being carried headlong downstream on the wild flood, with frequent alarms as the boat struck treacherous shoals and half-hidden rocks, made a deep impression on their minds, from the leader down to Bumpus.
“Do you think it’s going to clear up?” asked Smithy, who did not pretend to be a weather sharp, and always depended on some of his mates when in need of information along these lines.
“I don’t believe it’s raining a single drop now,” Davy informed them, after stepping outside on the deck, and holding up his face to learn the truth.
“But it’s just as gray overhead as ever,” added Giraffe, who could be a pessimist when he chose, and always see the dark side of things.
“I move we have a bite to eat while we’re waiting for morning to come,” suggested Allan; and from the way both Giraffe and Bumpus started eagerly up, as though they heartily approved of the idea, it was plain that both of them had been thinking along these same lines though not wishing to betray their inclinations, for fear of having the finger of scorn pointed at them.
The suggestion seemed to meet with popular favor; at least it aroused no objections, for all of them realized that with such a deluge, dry wood was going to be a scarce commodity ashore for part of the ensuing day at least; and it was only policy for them to take advantage of the chance they had of obtaining a splendid cooking fire aboard the boat.