“Yes,” said Rollo, speaking to James, “we have got our fire on the wrong side. Let us move it round to the other side, and the wind will blow it for us.”
So they took up their brands, and put them upon the other side of the heap. The wind fanned them a little, but did not make them blaze.
“Just put some dry pieces on,” said Jonas, “and leave them. As soon as they get heated a little, they’ll blaze.”
The boys followed Jonas’s direction, and, after putting a few dry pieces upon the smoking brands, they left this heap, and went to another; though they had first to go back to one which was on fire, and get some more brands.
“How do you set them on fire so fast, Jonas?” said Rollo.
“Why, I don’t stop to watch them,” said Jonas, “to see them burn. I put a brand down upon the windy side of the heap, and then cover it with dry pieces, and leave it, and let it burn up in its own time. It will burn as soon as it has time to get heated.”
“Yes, James,” said Rollo; “my father explained it to me. When wood gets heated above a certain point of heat, it takes fire. Sulphur takes fire before it gets heated so hot.”
“O Jonas,” said Rollo, “why didn’t you pile up this heap?”
Rollo had come to a place where there was a long log lying upon the ground, broken to pieces and decayed, and near it several fragments of roots and stumps scattered around.
“O, come away, come away from there, Rollo,” said Jonas; “there is a wasp’s nest there.”