The cabin had once been quite a pretentious place, in those old days when the builder, perhaps with a trapper pard, spent his time here gathering a heavy tribute of rich pelts from the native furry inhabitants of swamp and river and forest.
Its roof was quite high, and the reason for this became manifest as soon as any one entered; for it was found that there was a loft extending halfway across, and which could be reached by a rude but still sturdy ladder.
“Now, what in the dickens do you think he ever built that up there for?” Step Hen said, as he started to ascend the ladder; and then, thinking better of it, gave up the idea.
“A place to store his bales of dried furs, so Eli says,” replied Allan. “You see, being up here for six months, constantly gathering in new pelts every day, they increased rapidly, and took considerable space; so, having plenty of room, he just ran that platform half-way across, and six feet and a half from the floor down here.”
“Great stunt,” remarked Step Hen, but he made no further attempt to ascend to the platform, his curiosity being satisfied.
And later on, Step Hen shook hands with himself because of that second thought, considering himself a lucky boy, which indeed proved to be the case.
There was more or less talking and laughing as they started preparations for supper. The chimney seemed to draw poorly at first, possibly on account of not having been used for so long. When it got warmed up, perhaps it would “behave”, Eli remarked. Meanwhile there was considerable smoke in the cabin, and more or less sneezing, as well as rubbing of smarting eyes.
“Say, what d’ye mean, trying to choke us all, Giraffe?” demanded Bumpus, who looked as though in great distress, as the tears were rolling down his fat cheeks like “little Niagaras”, Step Hen declared.
“And I reckon, now, you just picked out the greenest wood ever, so’s to give us a good dose of this?” suggested Davy Jones, also rubbing his eyes.
Altogether the boys were making so much noise themselves that no one could expect to hear anything else. That was the only reason Thad could give, later on, why the keen ears of Eli or Sebattis had not detected certain things that must have come to their knowledge had it not been for this clamor, and rattle of merry tongues.