ttle stream you told us was close by, and which would supply all our
wants. Why, I'm as thirsty as a fish out of water right now, boys; me
for a drink!"

With that he hurled himself over the side of the wagon and went on a run
in the direction of the soft sweet murmur which he had rightly guessed
could only proceed from running water.

When a little later Steve, his raging thirst satisfied, joined his chums
again, he found Toby unharnessing Moses, while Jack was investigating
the immediate vicinity with an eye to locating the camp-site.

The wearied horse was led to water and then staked out with the long and
stout rope fetched along for this especial purpose. They anticipated
having little trouble with Moses while in camp, since all the beast
would have to do lay in the way of feeding, and being led to water twice
a day.

Next the wagon was unloaded, and from the pile of stuff that soon
littered the ground, it was evident that the three lads had taken a fair
advantage of their expenses being guaranteed, for they certainly had not
stinted themselves along the "grub" line at least.

"We've just got to rush things, and do our talking afterwards,"
suggested Jack.

"That's right," agreed Toby, "because already the sun is setting, and
before long it'll be getting plumb dark. Luckily enough we thought to
fetch that lantern along with us, though, and a supply of oil in the
bargain."

"I wonder," said Jack, with an amused chuckle, "if there was a single
thing we did forget to pack in the wagon. Talk about going into the
woods light, when you've got a convenient wagon to carry things along,
you're apt to fetch three times as much as you really need."

"I'm one of those fellows who like comfort every time," admitted Steve;
"and I suppose I'm responsible for a heap of these things right now; but
never mind, Jack, some of them may yet come in handy; you never know."

They seemed to be fairly well versed in the art of raising a tent; at
least Jack knew how to go about it.

"Time presses too much to be overly particular how we get it up
tonight," he told the others when they suggested that it did not seem to
be quite as firmly staked as seemed proper. "Tomorrow we'll rectify all
errors. Now, if Toby will begin to get the bedding inside, and sort over
the cooking things, I'll make a fireplace. Steve, would you mind taking
the ax and cutting some wood?"

"Happy to do so," chirped the big fellow, who had always boasted of