several varieties, including large ones two inches long, and
the fine little ones known to boys throughout the Mississippi Valley as
the scaly bark. Paul procured two stones, and, cracking several of them,
found them delicious to the taste. Already in his Kentucky home he had
become familiar with them all. The hogs of the settlers, running through
the forest and fattening upon these nuts and acorns, known collectively as
"mast," acquired a delicious flavor. Boys and grown people loved the nuts,
too.

The nuts lay about in great quantities, and the thick, barky coverings,
known to the boys as "hulls," almost fell off at a touch. Soon the ground
was littered with these hulls, while the big buckskin bag was filled with
the clean nuts. Then, lifting it to his shoulder, Paul marched off proudly
to the house.

"Now, why didn't I think uv that?" said Jim Hart, as Paul threw down the
bag before him and disclosed its contents. "An' all them hick'ry nuts jest
layin' thar on the ground an' waitin' fur me."

"It's because you had so much else to do, Jim," said Paul; "and as I'm
idle a good deal of the time, the thought occurred to me."

"You shorely do have the gift uv sayin' nice things, an' makin' a feller
feel good, Paul," said Jim admiringly.

Paul laughed. Jim's words pleased him.

"I told nothing but the truth," he said. "Now, Jim, I'm going back for
more, and I'd like to do this job all by myself. I think I can gather at
least six bagfuls, and we'll heap them here by the wall."

"An' mighty good seas'nin' they'll be to deer an' buffalo an' b'ar meat,"
said Jim Hart. "It wuz a good thought uv yours, Paul."

Paul worked the whole morning, and when he had gathered all the nuts in
the house he estimated the quantity at several bushels. Although he sought
to conceal his pride, he cast more than one triumphant look at the great
heap by the wall.

He and Jim went forth together in the afternoon with rude spades, made of
wood and hardened at the edges in the fire, to dig for Indian turnip.

"It ain't much of a veg'table," said Jim, "but we might find it useful to
give a new taste to our meat, or it might be uv some help doctorin', in
case any uv us fell sick."

They found two or three of the roots, and the remainder of the afternoon
they devoted to strengthening their house. They did this with huge slabs
of bark lying everywhere on the ground, fallen in former seasons. Some
they put on the roof, thatching in between wit