f. They now remembered the two large
handles by which they had carried the torches; for they had made them
with handles something after the fashion of a stable-broom. These had
been dropped at the time the torches went out, and were lying somewhere
near the spot. All three set to "grambling," and soon found both of
them; and better still, found them with a considerable quantity of the
resinous splits of the pine still attached to their ends.

This was a bit of good luck, for the pine-chips thus obtained would be
the very thing wherewith to kindle the fire. Already well seasoned, and
covered with the resin, that had run over them from the burning torches,
they would catch like gunpowder itself.

The whole of the fire-wood was now collected together, and formed a
goodly pile. There would be enough for their purpose, even without the
handle of Ossaroo's hatchet, which was still left in its socket. It
could be drawn out at any time, but very likely would not be required.

Now it was clear to all of them, that their little stock of fuel, if set
fire to in the ordinary way, would burn too rapidly, and become
exhausted long before their candle-making operations could be completed.
This would be a sad dilemma, and would leave them in a worse situation
than ever. Means, therefore, must be taken to avoid such a catastrophe,
and means were adopted, as follows:--

They first set to work, and constructed a little furnace of only six or
eight inches in diameter. This they easily built out of the loose
blocks of stone that were lying about. In this furnace they placed a
portion of their fire-wood--for it is well-known that the furnace is the
best plan for economising fuel. The whole of the heat is thrown
upwards, and a vessel placed on top will receive double the heat that it
would, if hung over a scattered fire that is open on all sides.

But another important consideration led them to the building of the
furnace.

They saw that when the light-wood should be fairly kindled, they could
prevent it from blazing too rapidly, by casting upon it pieces of the
bear's fat; and in this way not only prolong the burning of the wood,
but make a much stronger fire. This idea was a very happy one, and at
once secured them against a scarcity of fuel for their purpose. The
furnace was made very narrow at the top, and two stones were placed so
that the powder-flask,--emptied of its contents of course--should rest
between them, and c