“What are you doing, kid?” Clay asked, looking about.
“Can’t you see,” replied the boy, shrugging his shoulders, “that I’m putting the roof on this new ten-story building? What do you think I’m doing? Even Captain Joe knows that, don’t you, doggie?”
The dog said he did, in his own way, and Clay sat down by the side of the log.
“Somehow,” he said, “it is perfectly natural for people to ask foolish questions. I knew that you were making a canoe, Indian fashion, yet I asked that question. Why didn’t you let me help you? You’ll have a long job if you wait for that whole log to bum out, and you’ll have a long canoe, too.”
“When it burns out about twenty feet,” Alex replied, “we’ll saw it off at both ends, sharpen it up, dig out the charred wood, and have a canoe that will serve the purpose of the boat I lost. Don’t you think so?”
“Of course,” replied Clay, “but you needn’t think you’re going to have all the credit of making this canoe. I’m going to stay right here and keep the fires going while you go to breakfast. The boys are wondering where you are, and Teddy looks as if he had lost his best friend.”
“All right,” Alex replied. “I think a little breakfast would come in handy just now. I’ll leave Captain Joe to protect you.”
“That will be nice!” laughed Clay. “Captain Joe can do it, you may be sure. When you return, bring the big saw and some knives with you. I guess the chopping knife will be about right to dig the charred wood out with. You needn’t hurry, for this fire must burn a long time.”
Alex started away, but turned back with a thoughtful look on his face. Clay smiled, for he thought he knew what was in the mind of the boy.
“Say,” Alex said, almost in a whisper, “you haven’t come across the films yet, have you? I’d just like to know where they went to.”