Searching about with the lantern Russ and Paul managed to get enough dry wood to start a blaze.  It was a tiny one at first, but as the wood dried out the flames grew apace until there was a really good camp fire.

“How’s that?” called Russ, as he dropped a pile of sticks into the flames.

“Lovely!” answered Alice.

“It isn’t half so lonesome now,” added Ruth.  She tried to be cheerful—­as cheerful as Alice seemed, though really both girls, in their hearts, were worrying over the effect their absence would have on their father.

“Now we’ve done this much, let’s do a little more,” suggested Paul.  “Let’s brew some coffee.  I fancy the girls must be chilly.  I know I am.”

“Good idea!  Coffee for five!” cried Russ, as though giving orders to a restaurant waiter.

“I wouldn’t sleep, anyhow, after hearing that beast scream,” said Ruth.  “Do make coffee.”

The alcohol stove was soon lighted and the aromatic odor of the hot beverage floated on the air.  The little party made merry—­as merry as possible under the circumstances.

The moon sank below the trees again.  It grew very dark, and somehow they dozed off again—­fitfully.  Then a pale light suffused the east, filtering faintly through the trees.  It grew brighter.

“Morning,” announced Russ, with a luxurious stretch.  “It’s morning.”

“The end of the long night,” whispered Ruth.  “How glad—­how very glad I am.”

“Let’s all go ashore and have breakfast—­that is, whatever we have left for breakfast,” proposed Alice.  “It will do us all good to run about a bit.”

And soon they were all ashore, using stiffened muscles gingerly at first, and then with increasing confidence.  The sun was blazing hot overhead.

“And now to find our mislaid steamer!” cried Russ, gaily.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE PALM HUT

Breakfast, on the shore of the sluggish and swamp-like stream where the big rowboat was moored, was a meagre meal, indeed.  For after a moment of consideration it was decided not to use up all the food that remained.

“We may need some for luncheon,” explained Russ, who seemed to have taken command of the little party.  “We may not be able to reach the steamer by noon.”

“Do you think we’ll ever be able to reach it, old man?” asked Paul, in a low voice.

“Oh, sure.  We’ve just got to find it!” whispered the young operator, with a quick glance at the girls.

“That’s so,” agreed Paul.  But he knew, as well as did Russ, that it would be no easy matter.

And so the “rations” were divided into two parts, though with all there would not have been enough for one substantial meal.  Fortunately, however, the coffee was plentiful.  The cook, when told to put up a lunch for the picnic party that was to figure in the moving pictures, had been very liberal, otherwise there would have been no food left now.  And in the matter of coffee enough had been put in to make several large pots full.