“Yes, sir,” replied Jack, “lots of them.”

“We only need one,” answered the colonel.  “A good scout doesn’t use more than one match to light a fire.  Why, when I was out in Arizona we would make one match do for a whole company.”

“Crickets!” exclaimed Pepper, “that was going some.”

“Suppose you let me show you how to cook without a stove.  Jack, see if you can’t find some dry leaves and small twigs.  Rand, you can get some bigger pieces, plenty of them.  That’s the kind.  And, Pepper, you and Don bring up a lot of that clay from down there by the water.  That’s the stuff.  Now wrap your fish up in a coat of clay.  Never mind the scales.  Coat them all over and pile them up here as fast as you get them ready.  If we only had some flour we’d have a dinner in the real scout style.”

“I don’t see how you are going to cook them in that clay,” put in Jack.

“We are going to bake them,” replied the colonel.  “Build a good, hot fire on top of them.”

“Like they do with a clam bake?” inquired Rand.

“That’s the idea,” said the colonel, who, while talking, had been packing the fish in two layers on a flat rock.  “Now put your leaves on—­not too many—­lay on your pieces, Rand, pile them up so as to leave a draught.  That’s it; now, Jack, touch it off.”

Jack struck a match which flickered for a minute and went out.

“Tut!  Tut!” cried the colonel, “that won’t do!”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter,” said Jack, “I’ve plenty more.”

“No,” corrected the colonel, “you should rely on only one.  Now, suppose we are out on the plains and this is your last match.  Let me show you how to do it.”

Stooping down, the colonel waited a moment until there was a lull in the wind, when he struck the match, shielding it with his hand until it blazed up, and then touched it to the leaves, which, catching the fire, were soon blazing fiercely.

“Now, then,” went on the colonel, “we don’t want the enemy swooping down on us again.  Don’t you think it would be a good plan to throw out a picket to keep guard?”

“I think it would,” replied Rand, “although I don’t think that he will come back.”

“You mustn’t depend upon that,” cautioned the colonel.  “Always think he will do the most unlikely thing.  A good scout is always on the alert, especially in the enemy’s country.”

“We didn’t know we were in the enemy’s country,” said Rand, “but I guess it is the enemy’s country, wherever Monkey is.  I’ll take the first turn,” going off and circling about the place.  “I guess he’s gone,” he said to himself, but no harm looking!”

“Now,” said the colonel, after a time, “I think our fish must be pretty nearly cooked.  Rake one of them out, Don, and try it, but don’t disturb the others until you find out.  How is it?”

“Fine!” cried Pepper, who had assisted in the operation.  “Couldn’t be better.  Hadn’t we better put on some more?”