‘That’s so,’ Pud agreed. ‘We’ll go back and you can make believe you’re an officer and――’ ‘Oh, shut up,’ grunted Tim, coming forth from concealment and staring vindictively back at the now distant cabin. ‘It’s all right for you to laugh, Pud Pringle, but you didn’t feel that bullet whiz right past your ear!’ ‘Folks ’roun’ these here parts seems mighty onsoci’ble,’ observed Harmon. ‘Reckon they done heard we’s pirates, Mr. Pud?’ They reached a second domicile a little later, slightly more pretentious, having a tumble-down porch across the front, but they not only did not stop to make inquiries, but they went by in complete silence save for the unrhythmical coughing of the invalid engine. Hunger overtook them well short of noon, for breakfast had been an unsatisfactory meal, and they drew up beside a fairly clear hummock and had dinner. The steak that they had purchased the day before was decidedly odoriferous when Harmon drew it forth from a locker and Pud and Tim viewed it with deep suspicion and with highly elevated noses. Tim advised throwing it away, but Harmon assured them that it was a perfectly good piece of meat. ‘Jus’ you-all wait till I scrape it nice an’ wash it, Mister Tim. Why, my lawsey, ’at ain’ _ol’_, ’at’s jus’ seasoned!’ It certainly tasted delicious when, Harmon having cut it into three portions in the hot frying-pan and laid a portion on as many tin plates, they sampled it doubtfully. Tim was exceedingly glad his advice had not been acted on. They had boiled potatoes and some rather stale bread and much steaming hot tea with the steak, and they ended up with cake and bananas. And after that no one appeared to be in any hurry to go on. Pud hazarded the opinion that they had accomplished about seven miles since morning, even allowing for stops and the disabled engine, but Tim’s judgment knocked off a mile. Both agreed, though, that they ought to reach the river very soon. Tim rescued a piece of scorched paper from the edge of the fire and, with a burnt stick, drew a map purporting to prove conclusively that the river when found would be the Little Fox. But as his lines were not very clear, and as the same applied to his explanation, Pud was unconvinced. Pud believed they would come out first of all on Two-Pond Run somewhere south of Swamp Hole and would have to go down Two-Pond Run a considerable distance before they arrived back at The Flat. ‘The way it looks to me,’ he said, ‘we’ve been sort of circling around, first west and then north, and now kind of west again, and if that’s right we’re bound to come into Two-Pond Run pretty quick.’ ‘Please, sir, Mister Pud,’ said Harmon earnestly, ‘don’ you-all take me nigh that there Swump Hole. They ain’ got no use for colored folkses roun’ there, sir!’ ‘Well, I guess we won’t get very close to it,’ replied Pud.