"Because," said Jonas, "they are afraid you will take cold. As long as
you run about and play around the fires, you keep warm."

"O, then we will run about and play fast enough," said James. "I know
what I am going to do."

So he took a large flat piece of hemlock bark, which he found upon the
ground, and began tearing off strips of birch bark from the old tree,
and piling them upon it.

"What are you going to do?" said Lucy.

"O, I am going to play steam-boat on fire," said he; and he took up the
piece of bark with the little pile of combustibles upon it, and carried
it down to the edge of the brook. Then he went back and got his torch
stick, and put a fresh piece of birch bark in the split end, and lighted
it, and then came back to the brook, walking slowly lest his torch
should go out.

Lucy held his torch for him while he gently put his steam-boat on the
water; and then he lighted it with his torch, and pushed it out. It
floated down, all blazing as it was, to the great delight of the three
children, and astonishment of all the little fishes in the brook, who
could not imagine what the blazing wonder could be.

The children followed it along down the brook, and began to pelt it with
stones, and soon got into a high frolic. But as they were very careful
not to hit one another with the stones, nor to speak harshly or cross,
they enjoyed it very much. When at last the steam-boat was fairly
pelted to pieces, and the blackened fragments of the birch bark were