Looking around after they had obtained this sorry means of illumination, the intruders could see that they were in a good-sized cave. Ahead of them lay more dense gloom, which would seem to indicate that the aperture amidst the rocks extended for an unknown distance beyond. "Well, this is a pretty good place to put in the night, when it's getting cold enough out there to freeze your toes," said Roger. "It's really comfortable in here," agreed Mayhew. "That's because the rock is warm, if you have thought to notice it," Dick explained. "Now that you mention it," remarked Roger, as he again dropped on all fours to find out for himself, "I see it is a fact. Queer that I didn't seem to notice it before. We really need no fire here, except that this darkness could almost be cut with a knife." "No danger, that I can see, of the light being observed out there," Mayhew told them, thus proving that he, too, was much in favor of adding to their comfort, if it was to be accomplished at such a trifling expenditure of time and labor. "Shall I crawl out and fetch in some of that wood, Dick?" asked Roger, and there was such pleading in his voice and manner that Dick could not have refused him, even had he wanted to. Accordingly Roger crawled away. Since there was a dim light in the cave he did not find it so difficult to make his way toward the exit. Later on he came back, with his arms full of fuel. "You get the fire started where you think best, Dick, while I make another trip for a second lot. We could keep ten fires supplied, and not use half the supply outside." "Could you see our light out there?" asked Dick. "Not a thing," replied Roger. "The fact is, I had to do half of my crawling in the dark, and only got the first glimpse of the light after I was pretty well inside." That took away the last doubt Dick may have been entertaining with regard to the wisdom of having a fire. "It will be easier for you the next time, if I get things going," he told the fuel gatherer. Mayhew, as though feeling that he ought to have a share in the labor, this time followed the boy out of the cave, and also picked up a load of the scattered wood. The tree must have been struck by lightning at some time in the past, since the branches covered so much ground. Dick had the fire well started by the time the others returned. They could see the light plainly after passing the mouth of the cave, although there seemed so little chance of it betraying their presence that it was hardly worth considering. How different things looked, with that cheery blaze going! The gloom seemed much further removed than before. And, like the careful boy that he was, Dick had extinguished his precious candle-end as soon as its faint light was no longer needed. Time might yet make that worth its weight in gold to him, since its like could only be obtained in some settlement.