“For once in your life, Chunky, you have contributed a consoling thought,” Jerry chuckled. “So get busy with the mocha beverage.”
There was a spark of fire in the ashes, and this Bob soon coaxed to a blaze, on which more of the dry wood in the cave was piled.
Soon the appetizing aroma of breakfast was wafted through the cave, and it seemed to stir memories in the horses, for one of them whinnied suggestively.
“They’re hungry and thirsty,” said Cromley. “What say I turn them out of the cave? They can get a drink, anyhow. There ought to be any number of puddles of water along the trail.”
“Yes, and maybe they can find a bit of grass,” suggested Tinny. “Go ahead, Bill. We’ve got to treat our animals well, for we must depend on them for taking us back to Leftover. But be sure they don’t stray.”
“I’ll tie them well,” Bill promised.
He took the animals out while Bob and Jerry got breakfast, which was a simple enough meal. And with the eating of it and the moving about to exercise stiffened muscles, all felt better.
“Now we’ll take a look outside,” suggested Tinny, as they rose from the circle about the campfire where they had eaten. “That is, if our clothes are dry.”
This proved to be the case, and, donning their garments, the travelers fared forth from the cave to see what had happened in the night that they had spent in comparative peace.
“There isn’t much left of the trail!” cried Tinny, pointing.