"To find out, lend a hand," laughed the captain.
First, one of the poles, together with a long piece of rope, was laid upon the ground, and the canvas unrolled on top. While this was being done, Dick and Tom began to join a number of the stripped saplings in pairs, so that when spread apart, the upper portion of each formed a crutch.
"Now," said Bob, "we will stick one at each end of the tent, then set the ridge pole in the fork."
"All right, Master of Ceremonies," returned Sam, smilingly; "up she goes."
When this had been done, the rope was tied to stakes at the front and rear of the tent.
"Now, just as soon as the canvas is pegged down along the sides, we'll have a shelter that would make old Bill Agnew open his eyes," declared Bob, with satisfaction.
"I should say so. It's great," agreed Dave, who paused a moment from his labor of building a fire; "going to pitch the other tent now?"
"Yes. But it is smaller, and won't take much time," responded Bob.
In the course of another half hour, the two tents stood side by side.
"Now we'll fix up the interior," said Bob.