itedly.

"I guess they are those safety matches that will light only on the
box," was Harry's explanation. "I haven't the box, either," he added
in a voice scarcely above a whisper. "It's no go, boys!"

"Look through all your pockets," directed Ned, "and see if there isn't
a scrap of box left by oversight. We must have a light!"

Frantically the three boys searched their pockets, but could discover
no shred or vestige of a box on which to strike the impregnated safety
matches held by Harry. At length they gave up the effort.

"That's peculiar!" declared Jack with emphasis. "Just think of all the
matches used every day in the United States by thousands and thousands
of people who never think of saving them. We have used a whole lot of
matches ourselves needlessly, and now we want just one as badly as we
ever wanted anything. It's fierce!"

"It surely is fierce," agreed Ned, "but we'll have to make the best of
it. It seems peculiar, too," he went on, "that the rats haven't begun
anything. They seem to be all about us."

"Yes, but they are not moving about very fast," observed Harry. "Maybe
they 're afraid of us yet. Let's make a noise and scare them."

"How shall we do it?" asked Jack. "What will you make a noise with if
you haven't anything to use? Tell me that!"

"Stamp on the floor good and hard; that'll scare them."

"All right; here goes!" agreed Jack, suiting the action to the word.

All three boys were startled at the result of Jack's stamping. A
crackling sound was heard, followed by a tiny spurt of flame from the
floor under his foot.

"Easy there, easy!" cried Harry, dropping to his knees. "That's just
what we wanted. Don't move now, but give me those shavings!"

With trembling hands the lad took the shavings from Jack's hand.
Carefully shielding the tiny flame from possible draughts of air, the
boy held the point of one of the thin pieces of wood over the flare.
In a moment it had caught fire. Licking up the curl, the flame
gradually leaped from one piece of wood to another until the entire
handful was ablaze. The dancing light played upon the three faces and
sent a glow out into the surrounding blackness. Harry deposited the
burning shavings upon the floor, where the fire was soon transmitted to
the larger piece of wood Jack had used in whittling.

As the boys saw that the matter of fire was assured, they glanced first
at each other, then let their gaze wander about the apartme