“Something must be bothering Amos, that’s dead sure,” the tall chum told himself; and at the same time determined to speak of the fact to Elmer if a chance offered.

He had never been quite as close to Amos as Elmer, though for that matter it was extremely doubtful if even the latter had been taken into the confidence of the Codling boy, who knew how to keep a “close mouth,” as Wee Willie called it.

“Still, it may be he’s eaten too much supper, and his digestion is troubling him,” was the final conclusion Wee Willie reached.

They sat around for some time, talking after their habit. It was hard to realize that they were all of sixteen miles from home, and surrounded by the primeval forest, up there in the Tall Timber, as that belt of the big wilderness was known.

“This just suits me to a dot,” Wee Willie said for the fourth time as he poked at the fire, and sighed with complete happiness. “Guess I was just born to be a tramp, and make fires across the whole Continent, I love to hear the crackle of the flames so much.”

“I’m really concerned about you sometimes, Wee Willie,” said Elmer, pretending to look serious, though the sparkle in his gray eyes belied his words and manner. “If this craze for fires keeps up you’ll be tempted to run with the machine; and then when there’s a slacking up of business set a few haystacks ablaze just to keep your hand in.”

“Not much I will,” retorted the other. “My fad is in inventing new and novel ways for creating fires. I consider a good blaze man’s best friend, when held in hand; let it break away, and I own up it may become his worst enemy. All good things can be abused, remember, and fire isn’t an exception to the general rule.”

“About time we looked after our beds, isn’t it?” asked Perk, accompanying his words with a tremendous yawn.

“Oh! that isn’t going to take much time,” scoffed Wee Willie, “seeing how we all share alike. It’s a hard bed for to-night, on the floor of the cabin. To-morrow we’ll hunt for hemlock browse, and ease things up. I’m the one who will suffer most, because my bones stick out so, without pads, like Perk here carries around with him.”

Amidst considerable merriment they soon laid out their double camping blankets, of a gray or dun color as most suitable for the purpose, and “less liable to show dirt spots,” as Perk always slyly claimed.

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