BRUNO 55 



dows. In fact, it needed none ; for the boards 

 lapped roughly on each other, leaving cracks 

 like those in window-blinds, so we could put 

 our fingers through the walls almost anywhere. 

 Besides affording a means of light and ventila- 

 tion, this was vastly convenient for various 

 flying and creeping things. The floor was of 

 rough ten-inch boards, with inch-wide cracks 

 between them. Julius escorted me over to in- 

 spect it, saying, 



" If we try to live in this excuse for a house, 

 we shall be pioneering with a vengeance." 



After a searching glance around the premises, 

 I answered, 



"The pioneering is all right, if we can just 

 make it clean." 



" Oh, that 's easy enough! " exclaimed Julius, 

 in a relieved tone. " If you think we can stand 

 its other short-comings, I can whitewash the 

 whole thing, and make it so fresh and sweet 

 you won't know it." 



We sent a message for our freight, which we 

 had left at Jacksonville, and Julius took a team 

 to the nearest town to buy a few necessaries. 

 We had brought no furniture South with us, 

 knowing that what we had in our Northern 

 home would be unsuitable for pioneering. Our 



