they closed their eyes to shut out the fitful flashes of the
fire burning just outside they could not control their thoughts.

Then again at times sounds that were not at all familiar came to their
ears. As a rule they understood that these were made by the small
fur-bearing animals inhabiting the wooded region, and which must have
been thrown into an unusual state of excitement by their arrival on the
scene.

The hours passed.

In due time all of the campers managed to get asleep, though, if they
awakened during the night, it must have given them a queer feeling to
realize that they were no longer surrounded by the familiar walls of
their rooms at home, but had only a thin canvas covering between
themselves and the star-studded heavens above.

Morning came.

The whinny of old Moses acted as reveille to arouse the trio inside the
tent; possibly the animal was accustomed to having his breakfast at peep
of day, and wanted to know why it was not forthcoming now.

First Toby, then Jack, and finally Steve came crawling forth, clad in
their warm pajamas. They stretched, and went through certain gymnastic
feats calculated to limber up their cramped muscles. Then, as the fresh
morning air began to make Toby in particular shiver, he plunged inside
again to commence dressing.

"It really isn't because I'm so ferocious for my breakfast, boys," he
hastened to explain, when the others followed him under the shelter;
"but that air is pretty nippy, seems to me, and I don't like too much of
it when minus my clothes. Steve, how about you trying your hand at those
bully flapjacks you've been boasting of being able to make ever since
this camping trip was first planned?"

"Oh! I'm game, if you both say the word," affirmed the other. "That's
why I just insisted on fetching that self-raising pancake flour along.
What would a camp be like without an occasional mess of flapjacks?"

Later on, while Steve was making ready to carry out his job, Toby sought
Jack, who was doing something inside the tent.

"Say, do you know, Jack," he went on to remark, "I woke up some time in
the night and couldn't just make up my mind what it was roused me.
Seemed like a clap of distant thunder; but when I peeped out under the
canvas the stars were shining to beat the band. Did you happen to hear
it too, Jack?"

"Just what I did, Toby," returned the other, with a smile, "and as you
say, it did sound like far-away thunder. I saw you peeking out, but