“There must be a herd of thirsty camels around here,” he complained. “I filled that bucket not twenty minutes ago!”
“I’ll do it this time,” Chips offered, eager to make amends for the skeleton. “You’ve done your share of work already.”
Seizing the bucket, the boy disappeared in the direction of the spring.
Brad, Dan and Mr. Holloway busied themselves with preparations for the evening meal, setting out supplies that would be needed.
“How about another batch of biscuits?” the Den Dad proposed. “The Cubs went for them in a big way this noon.”
“Fine!” approved Dan. “And baked potatoes will be easy to fix. We can wrap them in wet clay and roast them on the coals.”
“Know where we can get any clay?” Mr. Holloway asked, searching through the supplies for a package of flour. “It’s mostly sand around here.”
“There’s some back by the spring. I noticed it when I was filling the water bucket awhile ago.”
“Suppose you see if you can dig up some, Dan. Take an old tin can.”
The spring was situated well back from the camp site in a natural shelter of willows, ferns and vines.