Part 13 (2/2)
”Sure thing. I have most of the blankets.”
”That means we freeze, I guess,” interjected Stacy.
”You can go cut yourself a few chopsticks and sleep under them,”
retorted Ned Rector. ”Hey, Tad, why don't you build a fire down there?”
”Haven't any matches.”
”Never mind, Tad, the moon soon will be up and you can get warm by that,” shouted the fat boy.
”Chunky has suddenly developed into a wit, Tad. I don't know what's happened to the boy. It must have been that fall over the cliff that shook his thinking machinery into place.”
”Pity some other folks not more'n a million miles away wouldn't fall over,” muttered Stacy.
”What's that you say?” demanded Ned, turning on him.
”I--I was just thinking to myself,” explained Chunky, edging away.
Ned was glaring at him ferociously, at the same time struggling to keep back the laughter that rose to his lips because of Stacy's sharp retort.
”I'll make a suggestion, young gentlemen,” said the Professor.
”Yes, sir, what is it?” asked the boys in chorus.
”Pile up all the dry wood that Walter has gathered. Pile it right up on the edge of the cliff and light it. I think that will make the evening more cheerful for Master Tad down there.”
”That will be fine,” cried Walter.
Quickly carrying the dried wood to the place indicated, they piled it so that it would make a long fire, then lighted it from three sides at the same time.
The result was a bright blaze that flared high, lighting the rocks far down into the canyon, but not sufficiently far to reach Tad.
”Trying to burn up the mountain?” shouted Tad.
”No; we're trying to burn it down, so we can pick you up,” called Ned Rector.
”Oh,” came up from the depths.
”It seems to me that you young men are getting rather sharp with each other,” said the Professor, shaking his head.
”I guess it must be the Ozark air getting into our lungs,” answered Ned. ”I've felt like having a wrestling bout with some one ever since we got into these mountains.”
”Wait till Tad comes up. I think he will accommodate you,” suggested Chunky wisely.
”You mustn't mind our talk, Professor,” explained Walter. ”We say things to each other, but it's all in fun. We don't mean to be mean.
Do we, Ned?”
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