ly, had he
been in charge of the same at the time of his exciting adventure with
the cow.

Upon putting it to a vote they decided that they could just as well do
without any milk for one night; especially after Fritz had shown them
how difficult it sometimes was to accumulate a supply.

Of course a coffee pot had been brought along, for somehow a camp must
always seem like a dreary desert without the delicious smell of boiling
coffee at each and every meal that is prepared.

So Noodles made a grand big omelette, using sixteen eggs for the same,
and the two frying pans that had been strapped, one to each pack of a
couple of scouts.

Besides this they had some cheese and crackers, which would help fill
the vacuum that seemed to exist an hour after each and every meal.
Several potatoes for each scout were duly placed in the red ashes of the
fire, and jealously watched, in order that they might not scorch too
badly before being thoroughly roasted.

On the whole, there was no reason for being ashamed of that camp supper.
Everything tasted just "prime," as several of the boys took pains to
say; for they were artful enough to know that by showering words of
praise upon the cook, they might secure his valuable services for all
time to come, because Noodles was open to flattery.

And what was better still, there was an abundant supply for all of them,
regardless of the difference in appetites; Fritz was not stinted in the
least, for he actually declined a further helping, and had to be urged
to clean out the pan just to keep "that little bit of omelet from being
wasted."

Having no tent along, and only a couple of dingy old blankets which they
expected to use for sending smoke signals, should the occasion arise,
the scouts were compelled to resort to more primitive ways of spending
the night than usual. But then Paul had shown them how to sleep with
their heads away from the fire; and he also arranged to keep the small
blaze going during the entire night, since it was apt to get pretty
chilly along about two in the morning.

All these things had been arranged on the first night out, so that by
this time the boys were pretty well accustomed to the novel way of
sleeping. And on the whole they had taken to it fairly well, no one
complaining save when the mosquitoes annoyed them in one camp near the
water.

An hour after supper had been disposed of some of the boys were already
beginning to nod drowsily. And when fellows