a single one of the group. Uncle Toby was quite content to
cower as close to Frank as possible, satisfied that the other was able
to protect him. He seemed to exhibit the blind confidence of a dog in
an emergency calling for energy; to him Frank was a type of manliness
hard to match.

"Will the morning ever come?" groaned Will, as he shifted his cramped
position for the tenth time at least.

"Well, I think we've got a lot to be thankful for," declared Frank,
stoutly; "in the first place, no great damage is done, for I saw that our
tent was caught in the branches of a tree close by, and we can rescue it
in the morning. Then nothing was spoiled that I know of. And the storm is
really over, though morning is some two hours off," striking a match and
looking at his nickel watch.

"Can't we have a fire?" asked Will, who was shivering under his blanket.

"Just thinking so myself. It's getting sharp, now that the wind
has shifted into the northwest. Suppose we make a try," answered
Frank, readily.

It was just in anticipation of such an emergency that he had hidden some
of the dry wood away where the rain could not reach it. Frank's previous
experience in woodcraft had taught him many valuable things.

Securing some of this, he quickly had a little blaze. The others fed this
in a cautious manner, so as not to smother it by too much fuel. As a
result the fire was in a short time burning freely, and diffusing a
genial warmth around that proved very acceptable to the chilled campers.

Even Will thawed out under its influence and ceased to grumble.

"It's all right, too, fellows; not a drop got in tinder these
waterproofs," he declared, as he eagerly examined his precious
possession.

So the morning found them.

The first thing they did was to rescue the runaway canvas. It was found
to be intact, the pins only having given under the strain. So shortly
afterwards the second tent again arose, and things began to look
shipshape around the camp.

"Seems like an Irish wash-day," remarked Will, as he surveyed the
various blankets and other things spread out on bushes to dry in the
sunshine and air.

"Only for Jerry's strange absence, I'd feel bully," remarked Frank.

"Don't you think we'd better start out and look for him?" asked Will.

"Yes, after we've had some breakfast. I never like to attempt anything on
an empty stomach. And, besides, you see, we may have to go all the way
over to Jesse's shack before we learn abo