252 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



But I refrained from questioning him. So I talked about the 

 woods and the weather, while Oo-koo-hoo brought in a haunch 

 of venison from his sled and presented it to the stranger. But 

 with my host's every action and word the mystery grew. 



The stove, which was tireless, stood beside the bed, and 

 reaching for the griddle-lifter, my host removed the lids; then 

 picking up a stick of pine kindling from behind the stove, he 

 whittled some shavings and placed them in the fire-box; and on 

 top of this he laid kindling and birch firewood. Then he re- 

 placed the lids, struck a match, and while the fire began to 

 roar, filled the kettle from a keg of water that stood behind 

 the stove, and mind you, he did it without getting out of 

 bed. Next, he leant over the side of the bunk, opened a little 

 trap door in the floor, reached down into his little box-like cellar, 

 and hauled up a bag containing potatoes, which he then put 

 in a pot to boil, in their skins. From the wall he took a long 

 stick with a crook upon the end, and reaching out, hooked the 

 crook round the leg and drew the table toward him. Reaching 

 up to one of the three shelves above his bunk, he took down the 

 necessary dishes and cutlery to set the breakfast table for us 

 three. While the potatoes were boiling he took from another 

 shelf — the one upon which he kept a few well-chosen books — 

 a photograph album and suggested that I look it over while he 

 broiled the venison steak and infused the tea. 



When I opened the album and saw its contents, it not only 

 further excited my curiosity regarding the personal history of 

 my host, but it thrilled me with interest, for never before or 

 since have I seen an album that contained photographs of a 

 finer-looking or more distinguished lot of people. Its pages 

 contained photographs of Lord This, General That, Admiral 

 What's-his-name, and also the Bishop of I've-forgotten and 

 many a Sir and Lady, too, as well as the beautiful Countess of 

 Can't-remember. 



Breakfast was served. The potatoes were a treat, the steak 



