[CHAPTER XI]
JELLY CLIMBS A TREE
Evan was the first to awake. For some time he had been dimly conscious of discomfort. The rocks were very hard and there was a chilliness in the air that sent his thoughts groping sleepily toward the fire. But when he sat up stiffly and looked for the fire he saw only a pile of ashes and cinders from which a few curls of smoke arose. Then he looked about him in surprise. The world was shut out by a great gray fog. Even the farther edge of the rock, only some forty feet distant, was scarcely discernible. He drew his hand along his sleeve and found that his clothes were saturated with moisture. He awakened the others and it was agreed that it was time to be going.
“We must be in a cloud,” said Malcolm. But Rob declared that they weren’t high enough to get into clouds.
“It’s just a plain every-day fog,” he said. “But it’s certainly a wonder. What time is it? Who’s got a watch?”
“Two twenty-three,” replied Evan. “I’ll have to hurry or I won’t get down in time for football practice.”
“Me too,” said Jelly. “Let’s get the things packed up and start.”
“Wish that fire hadn’t gone out,” growled Rob, shivering in his wet clothes as he helped the others collect the tin dinner service. “I feel like a clam.”