"If you had much more than this lot," Ethan announced, "I don't wonder
the poor critter was scared nearly stiff, and could only crouch there
till your dad came and arrested him."

"And on my part," said X-Ray Tyson, with another wide yawn, "I only hope
there doesn't anything happen to start that pyramid tumbling, that's
all. If I was dreaming of something lovely it'd sure be a shame to get
waked up by such a row, and to find that it was all brought about by a
pannikin slipping out of place."

"No danger of that happening," Lub told him; "I've tested it all, and
you can depend on things holding."

By slow degrees all of them managed to get settled down. Even slow
moving Lub was finally snug in his bunk, though he had to shuffle around
for some time while settling himself into the most comfortable position.
Ethan threatened all sorts of dire things unless he stopped moving
about, because it happened that the sleeping place chosen by the fat
camper was just above his.

"I c'n hear it creakin' like anything," announced Ethan; "and if you
keep up that squirming business much longer, Lub, I tell you she'll come
down on me. Think I'm hankering about being smashed flatter'n a pancake,
do you? I don't see why you had to go and pick out one of the upper
berths, just because you imagined it was a mite bigger'n any other.
'Tain't fair, I tell you. Go easy now, and quit that moving about. If
you've got the itch say so, and we'll rub you down with something. Stop
it, right now!"

Perhaps being scolded in this fashion had some effect upon Lub. At any
rate he concluded that what couldn't be cured would have to be endured.
So he did his level best to forget all about possible night visitors of
all types, and tried to lose himself in sleep.

Phil had put out the lantern the last thing. He kept it close by his
hand, with matches where he could produce a light in a hurry, in case
one was required.

The fire had burned low. Now and then a little flame would spring up and
make a faint buzzing sound. Once or twice when this occurred Phil saw
Lub raise his head and look earnestly toward the chimney; but he must
have finally decided that it was an innocent noise, for with its second
repetition he failed to move.

"He's off," Phil told himself, with a slight sigh of satisfaction, for
from the way Lub was acting he had begun to fear they were in for a bad
night of it.

Lying there Phil rested his head on his arm and looked out into the