The work took less than half an hour, and when it was completed the boys had a camp that if not quite as warm as the other might have been, was still dry and sheltered.
“We’ll build an extra large fire, and that will keep us warm,” said Andy.
“Yes, but we don’t want to wake up an’ find ourselves burnt to deaf,” cautioned Pickles.
“That’s so,” put in Jack. “Be careful that the leaves are cleaned away around the brush before you build the fire too high.”
Once again brush was gathered, and the fire fixed to everybody’s satisfaction, and then all hands retired into the new camping hut, and sought their various places of rest.
It was a strange experience to all of them, and it is doubtful if any of them slept, saving by fits and starts, until toward morning. The fight with the snakes was still in their minds, and, as Boxy aptly put it, “they could see snakes just as plainly as if they had been off on a spree.”
Pickles was the first to stir himself in the morning, while it was yet dark. The colored boy sat up, and, seeing his companions still slumbering, decided to go out, start up the fire and begin preparing breakfast without disturbing them.
He arose to his feet, and, throwing down his blanket, stepped over to the entrance to the hut. Then a low cry of surprise escaped him, a cry that made all of the others open their eyes.
“What’s the matter?” cried Harry.
“It’s dun gone an’ snowed de fiah cl’ar out ob sight!” returned Pickles.