get a pile of them in here, and we'll have a fire started in less
than no time."

Though Tom said that the wood would probably be too wet to burn,
he turned in heartily with the others, and in a few minutes they
had a bigger pile of wood ready than probably the old room had
ever seen before. Then by careful nursing of some chips and twigs
a blaze was started that soon developed into a roaring fire,
before which the boys stood and dried out their wet clothes and
toasted themselves until they were in a glow.

The coffee problem was now a simple one, as all they had to do was
to melt snow enough to furnish the hot water, and they used the
cooking utensils that they had in their kits, for they had started
out that afternoon in full marching order. Savory odors soon
announced that the fragrant brew was ready, and they almost
scalded their throats in the eagerness to partake of it.

"Yum-yum!" murmured Tom after his second cup. "Nectar has nothing
on this."

"I'll say so," agreed Billy, with a blissful expression on his
face.

"We never knew how good it was until we thought we couldn't get
it," grinned Bart.

"Maybe this isn't a contrast to things as they were an hour ago,
eh, fellows?" laughed Frank. "Listen to the wind screaming round
this building, mad because it can't get at us."