It was nipping cold in the morning. Ice encrusted the edges of the
little brook. But by the time breakfast was finished, the sun had
appeared over the distant mountain peaks and the long warm rays soon
brought the thermometer up to summer heat. Milton expounded his
program at breakfast. Jonas was to keep the camp. Enoch and Milton
were to climb to the rim for topographical information. Harden was to
look for fossils. Agnew and Forrester were to make a geological report
on the strata of the section.
Jonas was extraordinarily well pleased with his assignment.
"I'm going to finish painting the Na-che," he said. "Mr. Milton, have
you got anything I can mend the tarpaulins with that go over the decks?"
"Needles and twine in the bag labeled Repairs," replied Milton. "How
about giving the Ida the once over, too, Jonas."
"All right! If I get around to it!" Jonas' manner was vague.
"Can't love but one boat at a time, eh, Jonas?" asked Enoch.
"I always wanted to have a boat to fix up," said Jonas. "When I was a
kid my folks had an old flat-bottom tub, but I never earned enough for
a can of paint. Will you folks be home by twelve for dinner?"
There was a chorus of assent as the crew scattered to its several
tasks.
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