Under its lea there was hardy a
breeze; but not fifty yards away were two trees that rubbed
together, and in the storm they rasped so violently that fine
shreds of smoking wood were dropped and, but for the rain, would
surely have made a blaze. The thunder was loud and lasted long,
and the water poured down in torrents. They were ready for rain,
but not for the flood that rushed over the face of the cliff ,
soaking everything in the lodge except the beds, which, being
four inches off the ground, were safe; and lying on them the two
campers waited patiently, or impatiently, while the weather raged
for two drenching hours. And then the pouring became a
pattering; the roaring, a swishing; the storm, a shower which
died away, leaving changing patches of blue in the lumpy sky, and
all nature calm and pleased, but oh, so wet! Of course the fire
was out in the lodge and nearly all the wood was wet. Now Quonab
drew from a small cave some dry cedar and got down his tinder-box
with flint and steel to light up; but a serious difficulty
appeared at once -- the tinder was wet and useless.
These were the days before matches were invented.
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