going to be a fine night, so we can sleep under the trees without
fear," said the young captain.

"Don't you think some wild animals will attack us?"

"Not if we keep our camp-fire burning."

The boys brought in plenty of brush and some heavier wood, and arranged
it so that it would burn for a long while, doing this by forming the
stuff into something of a circle. Then the horses were looked after, and
each retired, with his blanket rolled around him to keep off the
mountain dew, which was already showing itself.

When the boys awoke the sun was shining brightly into their faces. For a
moment each stared at the other.

"Gracious, I never slept so soundly in my life!" cried Joe. "I couldn't
have done better in a bed at home."

"Nor I," returned his cousin. "I can tell you, sleeping in the open air
when it doesn't rain is all right."

But when Darry got up on his feet he changed his tune. The fall of the
day previous, combined with the night air, had made him woefully stiff,
and it was a good half-hour before he became limbered up.

They found Captain Moore already stirring, and the kettle over the fire
was boiling merrily. The captain himself was trying his luck at a brook
not a great distance off.

"I saw some fish in here some weeks ago," he explained. "I thought I
might get a couple for breakfast. But you lads will have to wait until I
strike luck."

"I'm willing to wait," said Joe. "There is nothing to do, is there,
until Benson gets back?"

"Nothing that I know of, unless you want to fish or go after some small
game. I want to hear what he has to say. If the colonel won't let me
stay out, I'll have to return to the fort to-night."

It did not take long for Captain Moore to land several good-sized
specimens of the finny tribe, and these the boys took turns at preparing
for eating, while the captain continued to fish. The balance of the
morning was passed at the brook, and, strange to say, the captain and
Joe were both quite successful, while Darry hardly got a bite.

"I'm going to try my luck further up the stream," announced the boy. "I
believe we are all fishing too closely together."

"That doesn't seem to hurt my luck," said Joe.

Darry was soon climbing the rocks leading up the brook. The way was
rough, but he was growing used to this life in the open air and he
enjoyed even the hardship, if such it can be called.

"That ought to make a good fishing-hole," he said to himself, as he
reached a