could be partaken of in comfort,
despite the weather.

After that three fires were started, one for each patrol. These were not
of the big, roaring kind that usually serve campers as their means of
cooking. Later on they expected to have one such, around which to
gather, and tell yarns, and sing their school songs; but the cooking
fires must be built along entirely different lines.

A hole was dug in the ground, with a frontage toward the wind. When this
was pronounced deep enough a fire was carefully kindled in it, and fed
with small stuff until it could take stronger food. So by degrees the
depression became filled with red cinders, sending off a tremendous
heat, yet not showing more than fifty feet away. An enemy might pass it
by twice that distance, without discovering it was there.

Besides, one could cook over such a fire with comfort, and not scorching
both face and hands in the effort.

Paul had learned the trick from an Indian with whom he once camped; and
ever since that time he had never made a big, roaring blaze when he
wanted to cook.

That was only one of dozens of useful things those Stanhope boys would
pick up while on this wonderful hike into the wilderness. Wallace
Carberry had a lot of information packed away in that big head of his,
and there would be plenty of occasions when he could help Paul out in
accomplishing things in the proper way.

So eager were the boys to taste their first meal under canvas that they
could hardly be held in check.

"Why," said Paul, laughing when some of them pleaded with him, and
declared they were bordering on a state of actual starvation; "if we ate
now, a lot of you would be hungry again before we turned in. I figure on
three square meals a day; but four would upset all my calculations. Half
an hour more, boys. Suppose you get a few pictures of this first camp?
They'll be worth while."

In this fashion did he manage to keep them from dissatisfaction. At last
he gave the word that allowed the various cooks to set to work. There
was no lack of helpers, for every fellow hung around, watching the
peeling of the potatoes with hungry eyes; but when a delicious aroma
began to arise from the first frying pan set over the hot fire, some of
them backed away, unable to stand it longer.

William, as the champion flapjack tosser of the entire troop, was of
course in big demand at the fire of his patrol. He had brought along a
white cook's cap which he insisted on donni