.

"It can't be morning," muttered Dan. "And yet--why is the fire out? We
left a bully one going."

Dan had thrown his jacket on to the bunk before retiring. Now, he sat
up, reaching for the jacket.

"Gracious but it's cold!" gasped Dan, as the chill struck him.

"Shut up!" growled Dave Darrin's drowsy voice. "Don't wake everybody."

"What's the matter?" chimed in Dick Prescott sleepily.

"It's--it's cold," chattered Dan, as he sank back under the blankets.
Here he quickly warmed. And he had gotten what he had looked for, a
battered old dollar watch and a box of matches.

"Keep under the clothes and you'll be all right," returned Dick
soothingly. "But, my! With that fire out some of the fellows are going
to have a cold time getting up and building one in the morning."

Dan's teeth chattered for a minute or two. Then he sat up once more,
striking a match and holding up his watch. Dalzell stared incredulously
at the hands and the dial before he tossed the extinguished match to the
floor and sank back once more under the blankets.

"S-s-say, do you fellows know what time it is?" shivered Dan.

"What time?" called Dick and Dave softly.

"It's half past nine."

"Nonsense," ridiculed Dave. "It was after ten when we went to bed."

"It's after half past nine--in the morning," retorted Dan impressively.

"Glory, but I believe you're right," ejaculated Prescott. "I can see
just a tiny crack of daylight over by one of the shutters."

"It's morning, all right," Dan insisted. "And the fire's out. Wake up,
fellows! Who's going to start a new fire?"

"I will," volunteered Tom Reade. "Great Scott! No; I won't, either," he
ejaculated, after having thrust his legs out of his bunk preparatory to
jumping up. "Oh, don't I wish we could carry a million freight carloads
of this cold air back with us! We could make our fortunes selling it to
a cold storage company."

"I guess we'll have to call for two volunteers," laughed Dick, after
having thrust a foot out. "I'll volunteer, for one. Who'll be the
other?"

"Hen Dutcher!" came with wonderful unanimity from the others.

"Not on your life I won't!" retorted Hen with vigor. "I won't freeze
myself for any gang of fellows, and that's flat. I'm going to dress by a
warm fire when I dress."

"Well," said Dan ruefully, "as I woke all the others up, I guess it's up
to me to volunteer. Say when you're ready, Dick."

"Now!" answered Prescott.

"Please don't be so sudden," plead