"Nadine, it must be done at any cost," returned Cæsar. "First of all let us clear away all the snow from about him."
So once more the three children set courageously to work at sweeping the snow away. When this had been accomplished Cæsar said briskly:
"Now, then, let us make a fire."
"What shall we make it with?" asked Nadine, looking around as if in hopes of seeing a pile of wood somewhere.
"With anything—everything," responded Cæsar in a determined tone. "With our van if there is nothing else that will do."
At the suggestion of this extreme measure Nadine paled, and for a moment showed hesitation. But it was only for a moment.
"Yes, Cæsar," she cried, "we'll do it. We'll make firewood of the van before we'll let Nalla die!"
"But we won't begin on the van until we have used up everything else," returned Cæsar.
Without delay they went to work upon their fire. The trestles, the planks, and everything else that composed their "theater," their chairs and tables and other articles of furniture, they were all sacrificed without demur, and the bonfire presently assumed considerable proportions, crackling and roaring cheerfully.
In its flames Nadine melted snow in a metal basin, and made Nalla drink the warm water, replenishing the basin again and again until he had absorbed several gallons of it.