"
"I believe your idea will save our lives, sir. Ten minutes ago I
would not have given a crown for our chances."
They at once crawled out upon two of the great branches, and a
renewed chorus of snarls from below showed that their foes were
watchful. The snapping of the small branches excited a certain
amount of uneasiness among them, and they drew off a short
distance. In ten minutes Charlie and his companion worked
themselves back to the main trunk, each carrying an armful of
twigs. They first cut off a number of small dry chips, and made a
pile of these at the junction of one of the branches with the
trunk. They then got out their tinderboxes and bunches of rags,
shook a few grains of powder from one of the horns among the chips,
and then got the tinder alight. A shred of rag, that had been
rubbed with damp powder, was applied to the spark and then placed
among the shavings. A flash of light sprang up, followed by a
steady blaze, as the dried chips caught. One by one at first, and
then, as the fire gained strength, several sticks at a time were
laid over the burning splinters, and in five minutes a large fire
was blazing.
Charlie and his companion took their seats where the other two big
branches shot out from the trunk.
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