226 AT THE NORTH OF BEARCAMP WATER . 
Beyond the river was a small clearing and in it 
stood a red and white house with brilliant yellow 
chimneys. Then the land rose again abruptly, 
inclosing the little meadow and its cottage be¬ 
tween high walls of sand, scrub, and pines. 
Surprised to find an inhabited house in the 
heart of the plains, where I had supposed no¬ 
thing but mayflowers and die winks lived to 
break the monotony of scrub and pine, I pushed 
on to learn more of the place. When the path 
came to the river it crossed by a rustic bridge 
formed of a large bow-shaped tree with pieces 
of board nailed to it, and a strong hand-rail 
braced among its broken branches. The bridge 
was really artistic, as well as ingenious in con¬ 
struction. From its farther end I could see the 
whole of the tiny valley of which the mysterious 
house was the gay capital. Five or six acres 
of grass-land and pasture were surrounded by 
woods and sand hills. Three cows fed along 
the river bank. Near the house was a neatly 
fenced garden, and as I came to the fence I 
found it crossed by a real stile with three steps 
up and two steps down, and a rail to lean upon. 
My approach had, ere this, attracted the at¬ 
tention of the inhabitants of the hidden valley, 
and five heads were visible at windows, house 
angle, and fence corners. I crossed the stile 
and gained the little piazza. The garrison 
