Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-10-16
THE NAN
THOUGHT
BY DoNAL HAMILTON HAINEs.
Copyright, 1910, by the Pearson Pub
fishing company.

lhS the ITulJleSS eHOTtS OF MS COM
panions TO light a fire OF wet wood.
Burkes slow. misconceptions. half
tolerant smile was bent upon a tall
soldier who continually burnt his fin
gers in his tenacious attempts to
transfer the tiny flame from the flick
ering match 10 the soggy branches.
When the visible supply of matches
was exhausted, Burke grunted and
strobe out from beneath the bush.
Here" he exclaimed roughly. you
fellows stand back and I'll build your
fire. You'd starve in the brush. my
friend" he added TO the tall man as
the circle widened to let him work.
Silently they watched him. Under
the shelter of his army coat he broke
the branches into smaller bits, making
sure that the ends were frayed and
ragged. He scattered the mound of
wood the other man had built and
whitfield tiny slivers from the dry
cores of the branches with his knife
bayonet. One of the shivering group
stopped his efforts to keep the rain
out of his neck long enough TO ex-
claim:
My bayonet won't cut wood"
Il sharpened mine" explained
Burke without looking up.
He gathered the pile of shavings to-
gether and put them under his hat.
Next he drew from his pocket a couple
of old envelopes. then pulled a car
fridge from his belt and commenced
worrying al the bullet with the point
of his bayonet 1t took time. but after
a bit he pulled out the bullet and
sprinkled the brownish grains OF pow
der over the envelopes, letting the rain
moisten il slightly.
You may need that cartridge to-
morrow" protested the tall man,
shocked at this breach of the regula-
tions.
III need a full belly and dry feet
more" Burke answered shortly.
When he had arranged the wood ex-
actly as he wanted il. Burke lighted
the paper with a single. carefully
shielded match. The damp powder
sputtered and tiny sparks glowed
appeared and Burke called for more
wood He bent over the flame like a
mother over her child. and when a
couple of the men stumbled back
through the darkness with armfuls OF
NOOu, the uIt Udu CtdScu " NC d HOpt
and had become a fact.
THERE" said Burke triumphantly.
The men huddled close, their wet
coats steaming in the heat.
Better take off your coats and dry
underneath" advised Burke. hewing
at a sapling with the ever-present bay
onet. Next to the skins what
Counts"
Under his direction they cut poles
and hung up their overcoats. Burke
looked al the fire, stood up straight
and listened.
There's a brook a hundred yards
back of US" he said. Somebody bet
ter fill the pot"
Without waiting to see whether he
was Obeyed or not. he pulled the clean
ing rod from beneath the barrel of his
rife and thrust one end Of il into the
fire He left il there and began cut
ting slices from a chunk of bacon
which he pulled from his haversack.
The men watched him DULY and some
of them commenced to clumsily imi-
tate him. When the bacon was ready.
Burke drew the cleaning rod from the
flames and hammered the red-hOt end
TO a point between two stones.
Where's the water?" he demanded.
Another private brought the slOp-
ping pot. and Burke hung 1t above the
fire on a support of poles. He put in
the coffee, then imDaled several slices
of bacon on the rod. tilted il toward
the blaze and sat down 10 wait.
At the end of twenty minutes OF I'M
comfortable silence. during which
Burke pottered busily about the fire,
he looked around at the six damp fig
ures with a grin.
Supper" he announced blithely.
Under the stimulus of the food and
warmth. the attitudes Of the men re-
laxed Their faces cleared OF the
frowns which the steady rain seemed
to have furrowed in their cheeks But
when the meal was finished. and their
poorly lighted pipes sputtered unpleas-
antly in the rain. they hunched up
again in uncomfortable hUddles about
the sizzling fire. Burke looked al them
critically.
What an unholy lot of muts.' he
muttered. And they may have TO
fight tomorrow"
He plucked six blades Of grass. broke
them carefully into uneven lengths
and turned TO the group.
What's this for?" demanded the tall
soldier.
washing dishes" explained Burke
The tall man waved him away in dis
gust
"Oh. shucksi" he snorted scornfully;
throw 'em away, We're goin' TO fin
ish this war at one lick tomorrow,
an they'll be sendin' US silver plates
from homei"
Burke looked panied.
In about six months" he said
drily. you'll be wishin' you had some
thing as good as that plate to eat on.
Better draw"
The tall man drew and the other
four followed suit. The short blade
fell to Burke He sighed. rolled up
his sleeves and went to work, while
the other men watched him in silence.
Through the trees he could see the
glimmer of other fires, with the shad
owy figures of pacing sentries. the
glittering bayonets angling up from
their rifles. The patter of raindrops
grew less: Burke glanced up through
the branches and saw single star.
ITS quit rainin'." he announced.
Now the guns won't stick in the
mud"
rs there goin' to be fightin' to-mor-
row." the youngest soldier in the
group asked anxiously The other
men looked at Burke and waited for
hin, ~ answer He wiDed a Mate