Part 14 (1/2)

”PUT ive me a rub down the back! I'm on fire!”

nobody doubted Davy's excited words, as he danced wildly about, slapping first at a s of his khaki trousers; and then furiously attacking another burning spot on the sleeve of his coat; only to throw his can hat down, and jump on it, under the belief that it was threatened with ied to scra that they were not in danger thearments of the unlucky Jones boy

”Now your suit's a fine sight!” ejaculated Step Hen

”Perfectly dreadful!” remarked Smithy, with a shudder; for to the mind of this member of the patrol, with his ideas of what neatness stood for, no punishment could have exceeded such a catastrophe as the one that had overtaken Davy

But after finding that his neck had not been dislocated by his fall; and that, while there would be a few holes here and there about his clothes, they were still fairly presentable, Davy only grinned with his custoood nature

”You certain sure _are_ the li the other with a frown on his rosy face ”Better grow a tail, and be done with it

Then you could take your monkey-shi+nes to the woods, where they'd be appreciated”

”Now that's what I call the unkindest cut of all,” replied Davy ”I leave it to the crowd if I wasn't only obeyin' orders? Didn't you call out to me to come down? Well, didn't I?”

”Huh! but you needn't a spilt our fire that way,” grumbled bumpus, who however was secretly just as much amused over the affair as any of the rest ”When I say 'come down' you needn't think I mean for you to obey as fast as that Reckon you e that wasn't as easy as it looked, and you lost your grip”

”Here's what did it forup a piece of broken li fall at the same time the boy scattered the embers of the fire ”Rotten as punk, and went back on in' head down right then, I struck that way Easiest thing in the world to turn a flip-flap in the air I sat down in that fire; that's why ot the worst of the burns And say, do I li a little sore?”

”Not much more'n usual,” remarked bumpus, cheerfully

This ridiculous adventure on the part of Davy set theain Of course previous efforts in the same line, and, carried out by the same artist, had to be hauled out of their concealain, with sundry additions; for what story can there be but what is strengthened every ti place all around them that it was little wonder the boys declared they did not feel a bit sleepy, even when the patrol leader told theet so else fails,” declared Step Hen, ”why, Davy, here, can always be counted on to furnish music for the band”

”Yes, waltz ht he was giving us, the way he kicked around P'raps, now, he believed he was doing the turkey trot, all by himself”

But to all these taunts Davy made no response Truth to tell he seemed to be the sleepiest member of the set, and was seen to yawn nued to start sorees they were all exhibiting evidences of wanting to give up

Then there ca to make themselves fairly comfortable

They had considered this n There would be no cabin roof over their heads on this night, only the branches of the big tree; but since there see, they did not think they would ave them the most trouble They had scoured the immediate vicinity, and each scout had secured whatever he could lay his hands on in the shape of weeds, or grass, or even sround seem a bit softer to his body

One liked this spot, while another had entirely different ideas; but coached by Allan, who knew all about sleeping out without shelter, they one and all kept their feet toward the fire, because that was the part first affected by the cooling night air

Several of theed a system of sentry duties, Allan was to take the first spell

He and Thad stood looking at the actions of the other scouts as theyto find spots where there were no roots sticking up, that would poke into their sides or backs

”They're a great bunch, all told!” remarked Allan, with a wide s so it, handfuls at a time, to his own scanty stock