"That is what I said. Don't look at me as if I was crazy. This hut is surrounded almost up to its walls by semi-dry grass which ought to burn easily, isn't it?"
"Yes; but I don't see your drift," spoke Jack.
"We'll set the grass on fire. That will drive the bears off, and while they are on the run we can make our escape to the boat."
"But the grass will burn all round the hut. How can we get out through the flames ourselves?" objected Jack.
"Hold on a minute. Wait till I explain. We can set the grass alight by throwing out some of the hot brands from our fire."
"Of course, that's easy," assented Jack, and then with the air of somebody pronouncing an unanswerable question he went on: "But how are you going to get your burning embers outside? If you open the door, the bears will rush us at once."
For answer Tom indicated the hole in the top of the roof.
"I must get up there and roll the blazing embers down the roof into the grass. Then when it is on fire, we'll have to scramble out somehow, slip down to the boat before the fire surrounds the hut, and then row out to sea."
"Sounds delightfully easy," said Jack rather sneeringly, for the plan did not appeal to him, "but in the first place, how are you going to get on the roof?"