This, if the smoke did not take the heat out with it, would be enough to maintain an equal temperature inside.

Their wood was stowed away in one of the rooms, and the sailor laid in the fireplace some logs and brushwood.

The seaman was busy with this, when Herbert asked him if he had any matches.
"Certainly," replied Pencroft, "and I may say happily, for without matches or tinder we should be in a fix." "Still we might get fire as the savages do," replied Herbert, "by rubbing two bits of dry stick one against the other." "All right; try, my boy, and let's see if you can do anything besides exercising your arms." "Well, it's a very simple proceeding, and much used in the islands of the Pacific." "I don't deny it," replied Pencroft, "but the savages must know how to do it or employ a peculiar wood, for more than once I have tried to get fire in that way, but I could never manage it.

I must say I prefer matches.

By the bye, where are my matches ?" Pencroft searched in his waistcoat for the box, which was always there, for he was a confirmed smoker.