"Hazy," says I; "dry as tinder. All stone walls, and too many dead trees about for my notion."
"Dead trees? I have never seen any," says he, a-looking around.
"Must be awful short-sighted," says I. "Just look down there; it is like a burnt faller."
He looked ahead where my finger was pointing, and laughed right out.
"Why, that is the shipping," says he.
"Shipping," says I. "Don't tell me that! I wasn't brought up in the woods not to know tree trunks when I see them, dead or alive."
"But I assure you those are the masts of vessels. You can see the hulls now."
I did see the hulls, and felt dreadfully; what would the captain think of me! At once I looked up.
"Yes," says I. "There is no question about it. Those are the hulls of ships, and the others are masts; but I was right."
He laughed: "But you said they were dead trees."