the camp
blaze, because in the first place there hasn't been a single spark
flying for several hours; and then again you want to notice that the
wind is right from the opposite quarter."

"Then how could it catch by accident, I want to know?" asked Dave
Hanshaw.

"I'm on," sang out Sid. "He means Colon!"

All eyes were instantly turned on the tall boy.

"Well, I did throw that torch at the cow; I admit that much, fellows,"
he began; "but don't tell me it just kept on smouldering all this time
in that brush heap, to take fire after everybody'd gone to sleep! Why,
it must have been all of five hours ago. Shucks! you can't prove it;
and I won't admit a single thing."

"Well, it might have happened; and that's as near as we'll ever get to
finding out the truth," said Fred.

When they had talked it all over they began to feel sleepy once more;
and one by one again crawled into the tents. There was no further
alarm, and morning came to arouse the camp of the boat club.

The day promised to be a beautiful one, but rather sultry. Indeed, even
in the early morning the waters of the Mohunk looked inviting to the
boys, so that as they came out of the tents they made a bee-line for
the bank, to plunge in.

Soon there was a great splashing and shouting, such as a dozen and more
boys in swimming alone can produce. Bristles, remembering a promise he
had made to himself, pursued his lessons diligently, and was making
splendid progress, so that he began to grow quite encouraged.

"I'll be a swimmer right away," he told Fred, as the two of them sat on
the bank rubbing down, after coming from the water. "I'm getting to
have confidence in myself, Fred, and already I went more'n twenty feet
without touching bottom."

"Good for you, Bristles; I said you had it in you to make a swimmer, if
only you'd keep everlastingly at it. Every boy who goes on the water,
either in a boat, or to skate, ought to know how to swim. It may save
his life, or the life of a chum some day. But those fellows ought to
come out, or they'll get blue around their lips, for the water is icy
cold. Colon looked shivery the last time he was up on the bank for a
high dive!"

"There he is now, swimming across the river again, Fred. He ought not
to try that so often, seems to me. Why, look at him, will you; he's
making believe he's got a cramp or something!"

Fred sprang to his feet excitedly, exclaiming:

"There's no make-believe about that, Bristles; Colon