“Oh! but I’ve got to have heavier stuff to put on top, or it’ll peter out on us,” objected the other, bustling about.
He must have figured on just where he could lay hold of the necessary supplies, for almost in a jiffy he started piling dead branches over the leaping blaze, which, rapidly drying out began in turn to take fire, until there was a delightful roaring pyramid of flames leaping cheerily upward, and sending out such glorious heat that the boys had to move back a foot at a time.
Their clothes also began to send out clouds of steam as the genial warmth commenced the drying process. Everybody showed signs of feeling a thousand per cent more comfortable; and there was no longer any necessity for their performing those wild antics, like warriors before the hunt or battle.
CHAPTER XVII
A GUEST AT THE CAMPFIRE
“Why, I guess I’m all dry again,” Amos later on remarked with a degree of satisfaction in his words. “That heat certainly works fine. After all, it wasn’t such a terribly hard experience.”
Amos was like most other people who are prone to forget how they have suffered, once the sun of prosperity shines again; but then it is fortunate boys are so constituted that they can “put their troubles in their old kit-bag,” and be merry once more.
“Of course,” observed Wee Willie, “we can’t do a thing now till morning; even then our only job will be to keep on the move, and letting out an occasional whoop in hopes of reaching Perk. I’d sure give something to know what that same Perk is doing right now.”
“Elmer, what’s that moving out there?” gasped Amos, as though something suddenly ice-cold gripped his heart.
“Why, it seems to be a man, and he’s heading this way, too!” exclaimed the tall chum. “Say, wouldn’t it be a queer stunt now if this happened to be our—well, the party we scared out of the cabin at the Bend?”
Amos uttered a plaintive little cry, but hastily followed it by saying: