tion
came upon him. He gave a big sigh, shook his head, and then handed over
his matchsafe, remarking:

"Well, I reckon I'll just have to comply with the rules; but it's pretty
hard on a feller, not to have just _one_ match along, in case he needs
it right bad. But anyhow, it's me to build that big blaze to-night,
remember, boys, and I'm going to make your eyes shine, the way I do it,
too."

CHAPTER XII.

BUMPUS MAKES A FIND.

"I say, Thad, come over here with me; I've got something to show you,"
remarked Allan, about half an hour after they had finished lunch, and
while most of the boys were lying around, taking it easy.

The young acting scout-master quickly followed his chum, who led the way
back of the tents and into the timber. Here they discovered Giraffe,
bending down, and so industriously engaged with some object he had in
hand that he seemed to pay no attention to anything else.

At first Thad thought the boy was sawing something, for there was a
continuous movement to his right arm, and a sort of low, buzzing sound;
but then he knew they had not brought a saw of any kind along with them,
an ax and a hatchet being the only tools considered necessary in camp.

Presently Giraffe halted, to draw out a red bandana handkerchief with
which to wipe his dripping forehead, while he stared hard at the object
he had before him, and looked dubious enough.

Thad saw now what it was, and he could hardly keep from laughing as the
determined boy once more started sawing away as though his very life
depended on his accomplishing the end he had in view.

The object he had in his right hand was a queer sort of a little bow,
made by fastening a stout cord to a piece of bent hickory. This cord was
doubled around a stick that stood upright, its pointed lower end placed
in a sort of hollow wooden dish where a socket had been scooped out. The
upper was also kept from burning the hand of the aspiring scout by
another bit of wood.

Of course Thad knew what Giraffe was trying to do. Deprived of matches
for the balance of the day, and feeling a gnawing desire to see a fire
sparkling, the scout had started in to try and make a blaze after the
old-fashioned method used by some South Sea islanders. But evidently the
boy did not twirl the stick fast enough to produce sufficient heat to
make the fine tinder smoke, and then take fire. Giraffe's ambition was
commendable, however, and so Thad said nothing; only crept away agai