“Thunder!” “I don’t see how you came to forget it,” exclaimed Rob. “I didn’t forget it any more than you did,” Malcolm defended. “Oh, let’s do without coffee,” said Evan. “I guess we’ll have to,” Malcolm answered. “I don’t believe any of us want to make the trip down there.” “I’m plumb sure I don’t,” growled Rob. “But we’ve simply got to have something to drink. Hang it, I’m thirsty now! I didn’t realize it until I found there was no water.” Jelly had joined them in time to learn the catastrophe. “I’ll go down,” he said cheerfully. “I know where the spring is; been there twice.” The others viewed him doubtfully, and then each other. Finally Rob shook his head. “That’s nice of you, Jelly,” he said, “but you’d die if you climbed half-way up here again. I’ll go down myself.” “No, I will,” said Malcolm. “After all, it was more my fault than any one else’s.” “I’d be glad to go if I knew where the spring was,” said Evan. “Perhaps you can tell me so I can find it.” But Rob shook his head again. “We couldn’t. I’ll go down. I don’t mind. You go ahead with dinner, Mal. I’ll be back as soon as I can, but I guess it will take me a half-hour.” “Really,” protested Jelly, “I’d like to go. It won’t hurt me a bit if I take my time coming back. And besides, I want to get my weight down. Hopkins says I’m too fat for football. Where’s the can?” “Haven’t any; you’ll have to take the coffee-pot. Are you sure you don’t mind?” asked Malcolm anxiously. “Sure. I’d rather like it. Let me go, won’t you, Rob?” “Why, yes, if you want to. But you take it slow coming back, Jelly; hear?” Jelly promised, seized the coffee-pot and disappeared over the edge. The others watched him until he had reached the woods. There he turned and waved the pot at them cheerfully. The next moment he was out of sight. “He’s a good little dub,” said Rob gratefully. “I suppose I ought to have done it myself, though.” “It won’t hurt him,” said Malcolm. “And it _will_ take some fat off, I guess. Well, I suppose I might as well get the potatoes in.” “Hello,” exclaimed Rob, “what’s happened to the wind?” “That’s so; it’s quit, hasn’t it?” Evan looked down into the valley. “And it’s getting foggy. Look over there toward the bay, Rob.” “I should say so! I bet it will rain before we get back.” “Hope it will hold off until we’ve had dinner,” observed Malcolm. “I don’t fancy sitting up here in a rain with nothing over us.” “I don’t believe that means rain,” said Evan. “It’s just fog. The wind has stopped and it’s sort of thickening up.” “You talk like a weather bureau,” laughed Rob. “Anything I can do to aid the chef, Mal?”