When it was blazing freely he piled upon it, and in front of the green backlogs, several of the logs of dry wood.
Despite the rain, the fire burned freely, and presently the interior of Eli's lean-to was warm and comfortable.

He now removed his rain-soaked jacket and moleskin trousers and suspended them from the ridge-pole, where they would receive the benefit of the heat and gradually dry.
Stripped to his underclothing, Eli crouched before the fire beneath the front of the shelter.

At intervals he turned his back and sides and chest toward the heat and in the course of an hour succeeded in drying his underclothing to his satisfaction.

His moleskin trousers were still damp, but he donned them, and renewing the fire he stretched himself luxuriously for a long and much needed rest..