s loneliness and isolation,
and by the turning in of his mind so tremendously upon itself.

After the thought of a Christmas dinner was struck out by his fancy it
grew fast, and he made elaborate preparations. Ducks were shot, a
yearling from the wild cattle was killed, the stores from the ship were
drawn upon liberally, and he even found among them a pudding which could
yet be made savory. Long experience had made him an excellent cook and
he attended to every detail in the most thorough manner.

The dinner set, he arrayed himself in the finest clothes to be found in
his stock, and then, when all was ready, he sat down to his improvised
board. But there was not one plate alone, there were four, one for
Willet opposite him, one for Tayoga at his right hand and one for
Grosvenor at his left. And for every thing he ate he placed at least a
small portion on every plate, while with unspoken words he talked with
these three friends of his.

It was a dark day, very cold and raw for the island, and while there was
no Christmas snow there was a cold rain lashing the windows that could
very well take its place. A larger fire than usual, crackling and
cheerful, was blazing on the hearth, throwing the red light of its
flames over the table, and the three places where his invisible friends
sat.

His power of evocation was so vivid and intense that he could very well
say that he saw his comrades around the table. There was Willet big,
grave and wise, but with the lurking humor in the corner of his eye,
there was Tayoga, lean, calm, inscrutable, the young philosopher of the
woods and the greatest trailer in the world, and there was Grosvenor,
ruddy, frank, tenacious, eager to learn all the lore of the woods. Yes,
he could see them and he was glad that he was serving Christmas food to
them as well as to himself. Willet loved wild duck and so he gave him an
extra portion. Tayoga was very partial to cakes of flour and so he gave
him a double number, and Grosvenor, being an Englishman, must love beef,
so he helped him often to steak.

It was fancy, but fancy breeds other and stronger fancies, and the
feeling that it was all reality grew upon him. Dreams are of thin and
fragile texture, but they are very vivid while they last. Of course
Willet, Tayoga and Grosvenor were there, and when the food was all
served, course by course, he filled four glasses, one at each plate,
from a bottle of the old cordial that he had saved from the ship