s. Then, while they were jumping,
and trying to snatch it down, we could be peppering the bunch like fun."

"Leave it to me, Step Hen; I've got a plan worth two of that; though we
might as well stop under this tree to try out; and if it comes to the
worst we can climb up. But I don't think it's going to be necessary.
Throw down your bundle, now, and get busy. We're going to have a fire,
two, three of 'em; and squatting in the middle of the string, we'll just
cook us some of this tender young buck, and snap our fingers at Mr.
Wolf. If he gets too brash, why, we'll give him a card with our
compliments. Hurry up, and get a fire going, while I stand guard over
you, Step Hen."

CHAPTER XIII.

THE FIRE CIRCLE.

"That's me, all right, Thad; I'll have a spark going the quickest ever,
if that old wind only holds up a bit. Here's aplenty of loose stuff, to
begin with, that I can kick together. Wait till I stick my torch in this
crotch of the tree. Just as well to have some light to work by," and as
he kept up this running fire of talk, Step Hen was busying himself right
swiftly.

For the moment he forgot all his aches and pains, and worked like a
Trojan; indeed, no defender of ancient Troy ever had more urgent reason
for getting things going than Step Hen thought he did just at that
minute.

He used his feet and hands to gather the loose pine needles in a heap;
and when he thought he had things fixed to suit him, the next business
that engaged his attention was getting the pile to take fire. After that
Step Hen said he would be "on Easy Street."

All this while the night wind had been moaning and whistling through the
tops of the tall pines, making a mournful kind of music, calculated to
add to the uneasiness caused by the savage howls of the hungry wolves
from the north. But Step Hen had learned a lesson while lighting his
torch, and knew that the wind came in gusts, with short intervals
between. By waiting a few seconds after it had started to blow at quite
a lively rate, he was able to find a lull; and making the most of his
opportunity, he hastily struck his match, and applied it to the dry
stuff he had made sure to keep underneath.

But after all he came very near spoiling it; for just at that very
second there was a loud howl, so close at hand that Step Hen was
impelled to look over his shoulder, under the impression that the wolf
pack was even then about to overwhelm him while he bent down, almost
defens