by the other
five scouts, because they liked to feel that they were depending on
themselves, with no grown-up along.

Accordingly there was a movement among the campers. Tents had to come
down, and be stowed away; and all the material connected with the
cooking department made into as small a compass as possible.

All of them worked but Giraffe, who was on his knees near by, doing
something that Thad could easily guess the nature of. Knowing the
stubborn qualities in the angular scout Thad felt sure that none of them
would know any peace until Giraffe had finally managed to strike a clue,
and effect the end he had in view, of making an actual boni-fide fire
after the way known to the South Sea Islanders, with his little bow, his
sharp-pointed stick set in a hole made in a block of wood, and his
inflammable tinder, backed by indomitable energy, and "get there"
spirit.

And for the sake of harmony in the camp, Thad really wished Giraffe
would hurry up, and solve the knotty problem.

Inside of half an hour they were all packed, and ready to make another
start in the direction of the Eagle chain of lakes to the north.

CHAPTER VII.

THE LONG-DRAWN HOWL OF A CANADA WOLF.

"All ready!" sang out Thad.

Some of them were already settled in the canoes; but Giraffe still
remained, kneeling on the shore.

"Come, we've waited long enough for you, old Slow-poke!" called out
Bumpus, who was the partner of the tall scout in the canoe paddled by
Eli.

Very slowly did Giraffe approach, his eyes turned beseechingly on Thad.

"Say, that's the way it always goes," he declared. "I was just getting
on to it the best ever, and if I only had half an hour more, I'd made my
fire as sure as I'm Conrad Stedman. I've got her all figgered out; and
by noon I'll be twisted in my mind again, and the whole combination
lost."

But Thad only shook his head.

"Couldn't think of it, Number Six," he declared. "It was one part of the
agreement made with you that on no occasion were you to delay the
balance of the party. All ready; Bumpus, give the signal."

Bumpus was a natural musician. He could play "any old instrument," and
extract very good music from banjo, guitar, violin, or even an
accordion; he also had a fine voice that often aroused the enthusiastic
acclaim of his comrades while sitting around the fire of evenings.

Of course, then, he had been made the bugler of the troop as soon as the
organization was commenced. It ha