s checked when a puff of
wind blew out the new-born flame.

"Och! let Bob Massey try it!" cried O'Connor. "Sure he's used to
workin' in throublesome weather."

"Right, boy," said Slag, "hand it to the coxs'n."

Tomlin readily obeyed, only too glad to get some of the failure shifted
to other shoulders.

Massey readily undertook the task, and success attended his first
effort.

"I knowed it!" said Nellie, in a quiet tone, as she saw the bright flame
leap up and almost set her husband's beard on fire. "Bob never fails!"

The burning match was quickly plunged into Hayward's handful of
shavings, which blazed up as he thrust it into Slag's nest; and Slag,
holding the nest with the tender care of a loving sick-nurse, and the
cool indifference of a salamander, till it was a flaming ball, crammed
it into the heart of the pile of sticks. Tremendous was the volume of
smoke that arose from the pile, and anxious were the looks riveted on
it.

"Sure ye've smothered it intirely," gasped O'Connor.

"Oh, me!" sighed Peggy in a voice of mild despair.

"No fear, it's all right," said Massey, in a confident tone, while Joe
Slag, on his knees, with cheeks inflated and nose all but kindling, blew
at the glowing heart with unwearied determination, regardless alike of
friend and foe.

"It's going to do," remarked John Mitford in his most dismal tone.

"Any child might tell that," said Nellie, with a light laugh.

The laugh seemed infectious, for the whole party joined in as a glorious
gush of flame rushed among the sticks, dried up the dampness, and
effectually changed the pillar of smoke into a pillar of fire.

The fire thus kindled was rightly deemed of such vital importance that
it was not permitted to go out thereafter for many months, being watched
night and day by members of the party appointed to the duty by turns.
It had, indeed, not a few narrow escapes, and more than once succeeded
in reaching what appeared to be its last spark, but was always caught in
time and recovered, and thus was kept burning, until a discovery was
made which rendered such constant attendance and care unnecessary.

"Now," said Dr Hayward, when the fire was safely established, "we have
not much daylight left, so it behoves us to make the most of it. You
are a man of action and experience, Robert Massey, what would you advise
us to do first?"

"Well, doctor, since you're good enough to ask me, I would advise that
we should appoint a leader.