A colored boy appeared. "Henry," said the young man, "where did you get this wood?"
"I got it out of a schooner, sir, down on one of the wharves."
"What port did the schooner hail from?"
"From Novy Scoshy, sir."
"Were the crew Acadiens?"
"What, sir?"
"Were there any French sailors on her?"
"Yes, sir, I guess so. I heard 'em jabbering some queer kind of talk."
"Listen to the wood in that fire,—what does it say to you?"