read, or beefsteak were all dainties to the faithful animals.

One of the fellows had brought his mouth-organ, and under his leadership
they sang every song from "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" to "Nearer, My
God, to Thee." When the fire had had time to work its wonders on the
hearts and spirits of the campers, Mr. Allen suggested a few stories. Of
course, he just voiced what was in the minds of many others, for who ever
heard of a campfire, a grand night, a happy crowd, and no stories? Such a
situation was inconceivable. Every fellow looked forward to the campfire
because of the stories, and remembered the stories because of the
campfire. They were inseparable. Mr. Dean opened the program. One story
suggested another, and that one another, until nearly every one in the
circle had told a story except Ham. Willis told Indian legends of the
great Kankakee Swamp and of the disappearance of the Pottawattomie
Indians. Another told of a wonderful trip through Yellowstone Park;
another of a deer hunt in Routt County; and still another of a mountain
goat expedition in the Canadian Rockies. All the while Ham lay flat on
his back, shading his face from the fire with his hands, and looking up
at the stars. He was reveling in the spirit of the fire and of the night.

"What are you dreaming about, Ham?" called Willis from the other side of
the fire, to which Ham made no reply.

"What's on your mind?" asked Fat, as he rolled over, facing Ham, and
punched him in the ribs.

"Nothing special," drawled Ham as he rose to a sitting position and drew
his legs up under him. "I've just been listening. Your stories have been
the words to the music that is in the air to-night. I love to lie still
before a fire and listen to its music. I never realized before how many
out-of-door noises are liberated when a pile of dry sticks are burned.
That old fire has just been singing all the imprisoned songs of the
forest wild to-night, and giving out again in its little flames a hundred
thousand tons of absorbed sunshine."

"Ham, let's have the Pike's Peak story," urged Mr. Dean; but Ham only
laughed.

"Yes, let's do," begged Willis.

"What's the Pike's Peak story?" inquired Sleepy from his place against an
old stump.

"Well, if every one of you fellows will promise to never mention it again
to me," said Ham hesitatingly; "but I'm not going to tell you all the
details--just the plot--remember that!" He settled himself comfortably
and began:

"T