doing little things that
any fool ought to have thought of, and not one of us fools did."

"Come, supper is ready," replied Sam.

After supper the boys busied themselves drying their clothes by the
roaring fire of pitch pine which blazed and crackled in front of the
tent, making the air within like that of an oven. While they were
at it they fell to talking, of course, and it is equally a matter of
course that they talked about the subject which was uppermost in
their minds. They knew very well that until the house was built, and
supper over, they could get nothing out of Sam. "He never will explain
anything till every body is ready to listen," said Sid Russell, who
had become one of Sam's heartiest admirers. Recognizing the truth of
Sid's observation, the boys had tacitly consented to postpone all
questions respecting Sam's plans and queer manoeuvres until after
supper, when there was time for him to talk and for them to listen.
Now that the time had come, the long repressed curiosity broke forth
in questions.

CHAPTER XIV.

SAM CLEARS UP THE MYSTERY.

Tommy was the spokesman.

"Now then, Sam," he said, holding out his trowsers toward the fire to
dry them, "tell us all about it."

"I can't," replied Sam.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know all about it myself."

"Well, what do you mean by building this shed?"

"Don't call it a shed, Tom," said Billy Bowlegs, "it's a mansion, and
these are our broad acres all around here."

"Yes, and the alligators down in the swamp there are our cattle," said
Sam.

"And here's our fowls," said Billy, slapping at the mosquitoes, "game
ones they are too, ain't they?"

"Stop your nonsense," said Sid Russell, "I want to hear Sam's
explanation. Tell us, Sam, what did you build the shanty for?"

"To live in while it rains, to be sure."

"Yes, but how long are we going to stay here?"

"I don't know."

"Well then, why are we to stop here at all?" asked Tom, "and what have
you been thinking about all the afternoon? You didn't open your head
after it began raining, until we got here; you were working out
something, and this halt means that you've worked it out. What is it?
That's what we want to know."

"You're partly right," said Sam, laughing, "but you're partly wrong. I
have been thinking how to get out of this pocket we're caught in, and
I've partly worked it out, but not entirely. That is to say, I must
wait till morning before I can say precisely what I sh