"If we'd only thought to get Janey to put us up a luncheon," sighed Heavy, "I wouldn't have minded staying here all day. It's warm enough, that's sure."
"My feet are cold," complained Lluella. "I don't believe it will remain warm forever."
"And we couldn't make a fire," said Helen.
"I've matches in my pocket," Ruth said quietly. "I've carried them in a bottle ever since we've been in the woods."
"For pity's sake! what for?" demanded Belle.
"Well—Tom told me to. He does. Helen knows," said Ruth, hesitating.
"Goodness me! it's like being cast away on a desert island," cried
Heavy. "Carrying matches!"
"Tom did tell us to," admitted Helen, laughing. "But I didn't pay much attention to what he said. I know he told us that we could never tell when matches would come in handy in the woods."
"But we'd set the forest afire—and then see what damage would be done!" cried Belle.
"Not necessarily. Especially in this snow," returned Ruth, calmly. "If we get very cold, and are delayed for long, we can break the dry branches off underneath this tree—and others like it—and get a fire very easily. Tom told us how to do it."