ze."

"Not much danger of that, I guess," Jack assured him. "The traces of oil
we've seen must be only seepage. The main supply is hidden far down in
the earth, and until wells are sunk will stay there safe."

After all, it was very cozy there in the tent as long as the stove
burned. Fortunately the rain came from another direction, so they could
have the flat open, and so get a fair amount of light and air. The table
could be dispensed with during the time they were thus imprisoned, for
being agile boys they did not consider it much of a hardship to curl
their legs under them, tailor fashion, while they discussed their
breakfast.

Steve later on got out a book of travel and adventure which he had
fetched along for a rainy day, but which, previously, he had not thought
to look at. As the morning began to pass he lay there on his blanket and
devoured the graphic account of hardships endured by some dauntless
party of explorers who had sought the region of the frozen Antarctic,
and come very near losing their lives while there. Now and again Steve
would shiver and ask Toby if he wouldn't please drop the flap of the
tent a little.

"Not much I will," protested that worthy, vigorously. "It's hot enough
in here now nearly to cook a fellow, and none too light, either. Suppose
you tuck away that book of the ice regions, which is what makes you
shake all over when you're reading about the terrible cold they endured.
Keep it for a sizzling hot day, Steve, when it'll do you good to shiver
a little."

"Huh! guess I might as well," grunted the other, as though convinced.
"Besides, it's getting on toward eleven, I reckon, and I really ought to
be thinking of starting my baking."

"You're away off this time, Steve," laughed Jack, who had a little
nickle watch along with him, though he seldom carried it on his person,
"because right now it is only a quarter to ten."

"Oh! what a long day this promises to be," groaned Steve.

"Can't beat yesterday in my opinion," claimed Toby. "I actually thought
the sun was nailed fast up there in the sky, because it didn't seem to
move an inch."

"That's because you were on the job every second," Jack told him. "A
watched pot never boils, they used to say; but of course it meant that
the water seemed to take an unusual time in bubbling."

So Steve yawned, and lolled in his blanket, until finally Jack told him
he might as well get busy if they expected to have a feast of camp
biscuits for