The way was rough and soon we had left the wood and were traveling over a marsh that required us to be careful where we stepped. Our progress was slow, but I hoped, if we could not reach Elizabeth, that we could get to a farm house, where we might spend the night. Simon walked on ahead, while I kept at Lucille’s side. We found much to talk of, for love furnishes many topics.
The sun went lower in the west, yet we had not come upon sight of a dwelling. It was lonesome and dreary enough, and Lucille looked at me once or twice, with fear in her eyes.
“We will soon be there,” I said, though I did not believe so, for I feared we had mistaken the road.
As it grew dusk we came to the edge of the marsh and entered the woods again. Still there was no sign of house or hut. I gave up then, convinced that we were off the trail, and must spend another night in the open. It was not a pleasant prospect, but there was no help for it.
There was a sound in the underbrush, and a trapper came out. I was right glad to see him. After a little conversation I asked him the way to Elizabeth town, and he told me that we had come past it, that it was nearly a day’s journey to the northwest. I had circled around it in my wandering, and Sir George had sailed past it. Truly it was strange that we should have ever met.
“Well,” I said as happily as I could, when the trapper had crashed away, “we must do the best we can. It is only one day lost.”
I found a place where four trees grew together almost in the form of a square. Simon and I cut down cedar boughs, and made a rude roof between the trunks. Then we enclosed the sides, spread more branches and leaves on the ground, and had a forest bower, full of many cracks and chinks, but some shelter from the wind and dew.
Simon lighted a fire with my tinder box, and we cooked almost our last piece of bacon. We finished the meal in silence. I wrapped Lucille in my coat when she went inside the shelter we had made. She called a good-night to both of us.
Then Simon and I sat down beside the glowing embers for another night watch. We did not speak. The woods were deeply quiet, save for the hoot of an owl or the howl of a wolf.