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142 to be troubled by anybody," was Shep's comment. "Still, it does seem tremendously lonely."

"Just listen to the stillness," remarked Whopper. "You can cut it out in chunks!"

"No use of listening—I can feel it," answered Giant. "But what's the use of acting like that?—you'll give us all the blues. Let's be cheerful," and he began to whistle a merry tune, and one after another the others joined in. Then they started to fix up the tent for the night and cut a quantity of wood for the fire, and this put them in better spirits. For supper they had some fine fish, baking them to a turn on some hot stones, in a fashion Jed Sanborn had taught them. They also had hot biscuits—the first since leaving home.

"I think somebody ought to remain on guard after this," said Shep, when it came time to retire. "We don't know what to expect in such a place as this. There are the ghosts, and the snakes, and unknown wild beasts, and other things we know nothing of."

"I am willing," answered Snap. "We can divide the night into watches of two hours and a half each, and draw sticks for turns," and so it was arranged.

It must be confessed that the boys were a trifle timid that night, and those that tried to sleep had