First, the four corner stakes were driven, and the guy-ropes made
fast.

"Greg and Dan can drive all the other pins, if they hustle," Dick
announced. "Tom, you and Dave get the floor planks down, and
rig up the stove---inside the tent."

"There won't be time to lay the flooring," Reade objected, taking
a hurried squint at the now more threatening sky.

"There's got to be time to lay the flooring, unless you all want
to sleep in water to-night," Dick insisted. "Harry, just break
your back with the loads of wood that you bring in. I'll fill
all the buckets with water."

In ten minutes more everything had been carried inside the tent.
Big drops of rain were beginning to patter down.

"We've everything ready just in time to the minute," Tom Reade
observed with a satisfied chuckle.

"Not everything quite ready," Prescott retorted. "Tom, if you're
going to grow up to be an engineer there's one thing more you
should see the need of."

"What?" challenged Reade blankly.

"Get the pick and shovel! You and I will do it. Let the rest
get in under shelter!"