Thad crawled out, stretching and yawning.

“Oh! you’ll feel better after you’ve had a little coffee, and some bacon.  Nothing like a hot breakfast to tone a fellow up after a bad night like that,” remarked the cook, cheerily, as he started to transfer the various things from the stove to their table, with its clean white oilcloth cover.

Thad went outside to take an observation.

He found the storm still busy, and the sight out on the river was quite discouraging to a boy who wanted to get along toward the blamy Southland as speedily as possible.

Still, they had indeed much to be thankful for, with that snug craft to serve as a refuge while the gale lasted, plenty to eat aboard, and a supply of wood within reach.

“I guess the little dinghy would live between here and the shore,” he remarked, as he came in presently.

“What’s in the wind now?” demanded Maurice, already pouring out the amber liquid into the brace of tin cups that served them just as well as the dainty aluminum ones sported by some canoeists they had once known in their Kentucky home town.

“Well, you see, our wood isn’t apt to hold out all day; and besides, there’s another night coming for us in this place.  One of us must go ashore later on and do some chopping.”

“That’ll be me, then, to start with.  I’d like to get a few of the kinks out of my arms.  Here, squat down, and begin work with that mess.  Plenty more where that came from, and no bill to settle.”

In this manner did the early morning meal progress, for the boys, having survived the perils of the night, were feeling quite like themselves again.

True to his promise, about nine o’clock as near as they could judge, Maurice climbed down into the dinghy, taking with him their only ax.

Thad had even been careful enough to fasten this with a piece of rope-end to the single thwart in the dump boat.

“If you should have a turn-over the blooming thing don’t know enough to swim, like you do; and to lose it just now would put us in a fine old pickle,” he explained, when Maurice joked him about the solicitude he was showing.

“That’s it,” remarked the occupant of the dinghy, as he balanced himself carefully in sitting down; “it might be hard to buy another ax down along here, and one as good as this daisy.  Now, when I say the word, give me a dandy push, will you?”

“All right,” and Thad braced himself for the exertion.

“I suppose it will be harder coming out again, with a load of wood.  I’m glad you thought of that bully old scheme of dragging some of it aboard with a rope,” said Maurice, taking up the paddle.

“I’ll pay out the painter as you go along,” remarked the one who was to remain on board the larger craft.

“Push!”

Having been given a fine start he plied his blade, and rapidly the little boat drew near the adjacent shore.