268 FUR FACTS 



back so soon — but maybe there was no one living in the cabin — I 

 hadn't thought of that. My fears were soon dispelled, however, 

 for as I came in full view of the cabin I saw a thin, blue spiral of 

 smoke curling up from the chimney and the sound of blows from a 

 hammer assailed my ears, coming, as it seemed, from the rear of the 

 cabin. I did not stop to knock on the door, but walked immediately 

 around to the back where, bending over a wooden bench, was the 

 stalwart figure of a man. He was unusually long and lanky, with 

 broad shoulders and a face overgrown with a reddish beard. He 

 seemed to anticipate my coming as he evinced not the least surprise 

 when he saw me, but kept pounding away on his bench. 



"Pardon me. Sir," said I, "but can you tell me where I can buy 

 some food and rations?" 



"Guess ye c'n get some over at the store" he answered carelessly — 

 then as if by second thought, he added "if ye got the money." 



I told him I had a little. 



"Well, then," said he, "come around in front and I'll show ye 

 where to go." 



"See that tree over yonder with th' bark scaled off?" "Well," 

 he went on, without waiting for my reply, "there's a little store just 

 four miles due west through th' woods." 



I saw the tree he referred to, so I thanked him and bade him 

 goodbye. He nodded his head, and went on around the cabin, but 

 I saw from the corner of my eye as I walked toward the river, that 

 he was watching me and that he had returned to the front of the 

 cabin with another man. 



I rowed down the river a little ways and hid my boat behind 

 some bushes, then I walked back up to the scaled tree and started 

 directly west. I walked, it seemed, for miles, but there was no sign 

 of life or habitation anywhere. A brisk wind had started up from 

 the North and it was snowing lightly. Presently, I came to a cypress 

 swamp which appeared to be at least a half-mile in width. I started 

 to wade into it, but after sinking almost to my knees in mud and 

 water I scrambled back to solid ground. Following along the edge 

 of the swamp for about a quarter of a mile, I came to a crossing of 

 footlogs. Without knowing in what direction I was traveling, I 

 crossed the swamp on the logs, and now, on the other side, I noticed 

 that I was coming into a clearing. Presently I struck a foot path 

 which led me, at length, to a saw-mill. The owner of the mill was 

 not there, but one of the men sold me ten pounds of com meal and 

 a gallon of molasses. When I told him I was looking for a store, he 



