es. Why, if you'd gone and arranged all the particulars, I don't
believe you could a had it hit us at a better time. It's just great,
that's what."

"And the cream is on you, Bumpus."

"Shucks! who cares for that? Why, a little while ago I'd given all the
spending money I expect to get as my share of the rewards for returnin'
those lost bank papers, for just one little penny box of matches. Why,
I'll be only too happy to treat the whole crowd six times over, after
this. There, my bird's done, Giraffe."

"Same here; and now how are we agoin' to cook 'em?" the other scout
remarked.

Bumpus looked at him rather blankly.

"That's so," he observed, "we ain't got a sign of a frying-pan, have
we?"

"But there must be a way of cooking 'em by keeping the birds close to
the fire. All old hunters cook their game that way. And don't you
remember, Bumpus, Thad and Step Hen took sticks, and stuck 'em in the
ground, with chunks of venison on the other end. Step said it was just
prime. Well, what's to hinder our trying that same old game?"

"But the partridges are too big and heavy; they won't ever cook
through?" objected the fat scout, doubtfully.

"All right; I guess now we can manage to slice the same in half,"
Giraffe continued, hopefully. "I've done the job for my folks at home,
more'n a few times, when they wanted to broil a Spring chicken for some
sick person. We'll have our game broiled, Bumpus, see?"

"Sure we will; and while you're about it, with that big-bladed knife of
yours, Giraffe, give mine a rip down the back, so I c'n split it open.
It's easy to see you know how. Thad and Allan ain't got so very much on
you, when it comes to doin' things."

By this artful flattery did Bumpus manage to get his bird divided. He
spread it out carefully, and then started a hunt for the long sticks, by
means of which the bird was to be held in a proper position before the
hot fire.

After considerable waste of energy, they finally managed, after a
fashion, to get the birds placed so that they received a fair portion of
the heat that came out of the fire. Several times the sticks either
broke, or else failed to hold properly, so that the game fell into the
ashes, to be hastily rescued, and wiped off before again being put over
the fire.

The minutes dragged, and to the hungry scouts it seemed as though the
two partridges had tantalized them long enough. They gave forth an odor
that was positively appetizing; and finally Gira