“O! a very long time. This duck will never be done.”
“We forgot to have tea,” said Mark.
“So we did; and tea would be very nice. With dampers like the diggers,” said Bevis. “Let’s have tea now.”
“Finish the horrid duck to-morrow,” said Mark. “I’ll hang him up.”
“Fire’s gone out,” said Bevis, looking from the gateway. “Can’t see any sparks.”
“Gone out long ago,” said Mark. “Pot put it out.”
They had left the pot on the ashes.
“It would be a good plan to light a fire inside the stockade now,” said Bevis. “It will do to make the tea, and keep things away in the night.”
“Lions and tigers,” said Mark. “If they want to jump the fence they won’t dare face the fire. But it’s very warm; we must not make it by the hut.”
“Put it on one side,” said Bevis, “in the corner under the cliff. Bring the sticks.”