He unsaddled and unbridled his horse, merely tethering him with a lariat, and spread the horse blanket upon the flat rock.

He would lie upon this and cover himself with his own blankets, using the saddle as a pillow.
But the security of the covert tempted the boy, who was now as hungry as a bear just come from winter quarters.

He felt weak and relaxed after his long hours in the snow and storm, and he resolved to have warm food and drink.
There was much fallen wood among the trees, and with his strong hunting knife he whittled off the bark and thin dry shavings until he had a fine heap.

Working long with flint and steel, he managed to set fire to the shavings, and then he fed the flames with larger pieces of wood until he had a great bed of glowing coals.

A cautious wilderness rover, learning always from his tried friends, Ned never rode the plains without his traveling equipment, and now he drew from his pack a small tin coffee pot and tiny cup of the same material.