reason for such
crucifixion, and he had come to America.

And in America he had met the princess--the splendid princess!

The moon sank behind the mountains, and with its disappearance
Friedrich slept.

XVIII

Business Plans

Through the early morning's shifting mist--the haze that foretells a
fine day--two men felt their way up the side of Buzzard Mountain. They
followed no path,--indeed, there are few trails to follow,--but they
climbed steadily on, as if they knew well their way, and as if speed
were of importance.

With all their perseverance they could not cover much ground, for the
ascent is sharp enough to clutch the lungs, and the mist covered for
them a world of stumbling-blocks.

"H'm," grunted the leader, Pink Pressley. "They oughter be a black oak
about here with a varmint hole in hit."

He stopped and peered about him through the gloom, while Bud, his
companion, took the opportunity to lay his burden upon the ground while
he wiped his forehead with a blue handkerchief. He made no response to
his friend's remarks, but wore the air of one who does what he is bid,
and follows where he is led. Pink swung himself into motion again.

"Ah reckon we ain' high enough, yet," he growled, and swore softly as
he struck his foot against an unseen stone.

"Hang ye, don' do that," he cried, angrily, as he heard the breaking of
a branch behind him. "Why don' ye blaze yo' way right along, or mark
yo' path with a rope? Do you wan' the whole settle-_ment_ follerin' us
up here?"

With praiseworthy discretion Bud still refrained from speech. A
particularly steep bit of climbing silenced his companion as well.
Yarebrough was the first to discover the landmark.

"Is that the black oak?" he asked.

"Where?"

He pointed above them and a little to the right, to a veteran whose
side had been cut by hunters for the discomfiture of a 'coon or 'possum
that had taken refuge within.

"Yep."

They climbed to it, and both men set their heavy loads upon the ground.

"Much further?" asked Bud.

"No, come on. Sun'll be up soon 'n we'll be late gettin' down."

Pressley pointed to the east, where a sort of inner glow seemed to
illuminate the haze and make it thinner and more penetrable. They
shouldered their packs and again Pink led the way. He advanced, now,
with a certain care. From the tree he counted a hundred paces to the
right, and called Bud's attention to the number.

"That brings ye to this hickory--s