The two girls crept toward the down-thrown pine, and Eleanor said,
"We'll need wood for a fire, won't we?"
"Yes, we will have to remain in the cave all night, and it gets so terribly cold upon these mountain peaks that we will be frozen unless we warm up the interior of the cavern. Then, too, we may need to keep fires going at the back end of the cave as well as in front, to ward off wild beasts!"
They were slowly advancing when another awful crash came from the slope above. Both girls ducked instinctively, but the decayed pine that was broken off above ground fell over the edge of the cliff just in front of them and obstructed the way so that progress was impossible.
Eleanor quaked and cried, "Oh, let's go back, Polly!"
But Polly laughed. "Glory be, our fire-wood came to us halfway."
At her cheerful words, Eleanor braced up again.
Polly jumped from Noddy's back and started to hew at the soft decayed wood. It was easy to chop and would furnish a flaring fire, even though it would burn rapidly and need constant replenishing.
"Nolla, this is the second miracle to-day! Had we hunted the mountain over, no better wood could have been found for just our need. Yonder on that other pine, when this is out of our way, awaits our bedding."
"What funny bedding!"
"Just you wait and see."