“Why?” asked Rollo.
“Why, the lower side is flat,” said Jonas, “to lie upon the coals, and the top is round, so that I can cover it all up the easier.”
So Jonas laid the stick down, with the flat side against the coals, and the round side outwards. Then with the great shovel he began to shovel the ashes and embers back over it. He put all the hot embers in first, and then the ashes, and he tried to cover up the stick entirely; but there was not quite ashes enough. One of the ends remained out.
“There, Jonas,” said Rollo, “now come.”
“No,” said Jonas, “I must cover the stick all up.”
“O, that little end won’t do any harm,” said Rollo.
“Yes,” said Jonas, “because, when the stick burns down, that place would make a hole, and let too much air in.”
“Don’t you want any air to get in?” said Rollo.
“Very little,” said Jonas. “I want a very slow combustion to go on until to-morrow morning, and then there will be a good bed of coals for Dorothy.”
“I don’t see why you take so much pains to cover up a stick of wood,” said Rollo. “You might light a fire with your tinder-box.”