didn't say anything, for old Steve was sleeping fine, and I didn't want
to wake him up. After you went off again I crept outside for an
observation. It was around midnight then."

"Course you could tell by the stars," suggested Toby, eagerly. "I saw
you taking their positions about the time we crept in for a snooze. I
must learn how to tell the hour of the night by the heavens before we
finish this camping trip. It must be a great stunt, I should think,
Jack."

"As easy as falling off a log, once you begin to notice the heavenly
bodies, and their relations to each other," Jack told him. "I'll take
pleasure in putting you on the right track any time you see fit."

"But about that sound, could it have been a blast of any sort, Jack?"

"That's hard to say," the other replied, looking thoughtful, Toby saw.
"It may be they are doing some quarrying miles away from here; or else
some railroad is being cut through the hills."

"But even if that's so, Jack, why should any one want to set off a blast
in the middle of the night, tell me?"

"I give it up, Toby. Possibly before we leave this region we may have
found out an answer to your question. Forget that you heard anything
queer, that's all. We expect to scour this whole region up here, and if
anything like that is going on, as likely as not we'll learn all about
it."

Toby looked strangely at his companion as though a suspicion may have
arisen in his mind to the effect that perhaps this queer sound had
something to do with the mission that Jack had undertaken in coming to
the Pontico Hill country; but Toby had the good sense not to press the
matter any further, though his boyish curiosity had undoubtedly been
exercised.

When breakfast was ready, they made themselves as comfortable as the
conditions allowed. Already there was a vast improvement over the
arrangements of the preceding night. Two short logs had been rolled up
so as to serve as seats while they discussed their meals. This was much
nicer than squatting on the ground in attitudes that severely tried the
muscles of their bodies. Toby promised to make a rude but serviceable
camp table upon which their meals might be served. And a host of other
things were considered by means of which their stay in the woods might
be made much more comfortable.

They talked of numerous things besides those that concerned the present
outing. Football came in for a fair share of their attention, because
the fever to excel in