“Water,” said the Captain. “That isn’t surprising, though. There was water all around me in the lake and water in the jug beside me. And it was the only thing I was putting into my stomach, and dreams usually are the result of what you eat.”

“I would have dreamed about turkey dinners and slumgullion and fudge,” said Slim, spearing his fourth potato.

“You probably would,” said the Captain, without a tinge of sarcasm. And his eyes rested on Hinpoha again for a fraction of a second.

CHAPTER VIII
A SEARCH FOR RELICS

The statement made by Colonel Berry that there might possibly be something buried under the rock in the ravine had made a deep impression on the Winnebagos and Sandwiches, and the possibility began to grow in their minds until it became a very strong probability. Visions of arrow heads, Indian pottery and ornaments were before them constantly, 135 until nothing would do but they must investigate. The elders were much amused over the excitement, but voted it a harmless pastime and gave their full consent to an attempt at scientific research.

“Older and wiser people than they have spent their time digging in the dust for relics,” said Uncle Teddy. “Even if they don’t find what they are looking for there is nothing lost, and as the colonel said, digging is good exercise. It will be no small feat to move that rock over and if they accomplish it they will be pretty good engineers.”

There were two spades and many hatchets among the camp equipment, and armed with these the Winnebagos and Sandwiches crossed the lake, went along the river until they came to the big cedar tree and from there struck into the woods, where they easily followed the trail they had traveled on that other occasion, for the cedar trees along the way were unmistakable guides. When they saw the rock again they were more certain than ever that it had been marked for some reason.

“Hurry and let’s shove it aside,” said Hinpoha, who could hardly wait.

“You talk about shoving it aside as if it were a baby carriage,” said the Captain. “Can’t you see it’s imbedded in the earth?”