d their little colony. His mental
resources were in great demand, and for the sake of his comrades he drew
willingly upon his stores of learning. In the evening, when they were all
sitting before the coals, and could just see one another's faces in the
faint light, Paul would tell what he had read about other times and other
lands. He knew the outlines of ancient history, and the victories of
Hannibal, Alexander, and Caesar suffered nothing at his hands, though
Alexander, as before, was condemned by Shif'less Sol and Ross. Paul,
moreover, had both the dramatic and poetic sense, and he made these
far-away heroes, of whom Jim Hart had never heard before, actually live in
the little cabin.

"It 'pears to me," said Shif'less Sol reflectively, "that that feller
Hannibal wuz jest about the finest fighter o' them all. Ef, ez you say,
Paul, he had to hire all kinds o' strangers an' barbarians, too, like the
red Injuns out thar in the woods, an' lead sech a mixed lot up ag'in the
Romans, who were no slouches in a fracas, an' whip 'em over an' over
ag'in, on thar own groun', too, then I call him about the smartest o' all
them old fellers. But he shore had the luck ag'in' him, an' I admire the
man who kin stan' up an' fight the odds."

"He has my sympathy," said Paul.

"What did them old-time fellers eat?" asked Jim Hart.

"Mostly vegetables and grain," replied Paul.

"No wonder they're dead," said Jim Hart solemnly. "I can't fight an' I
can't march good on anything but buffalo steak an' venison an' things uv
that kind. I has to have meat."

Then Jim rose gravely, and looked at what he called his kitchen.

"'Nough to last three or four weeks," he said. "We'll shorely get fat an'
lazy layin' roun' here an' doin' nothin' but eatin' an' sleepin' an'
listenin' to Paul's tales."

"You ought to appreciate your chance, Jim Hart," said Shif'less Sol. "Ef
me an' Paul wuz to work on you about a hundred years, maybe we might make
you into a sort o' imitation o' a eddicated man. But I reckon we'd have to
work all the time."

"You an eddicated man!" said Jim Hart indignantly. "Why, readin' a book is
harder work to you than choppin' wood, an' they say you won't chop wood
'less two big, strong men stand by you an' make you."

"Never min'," said Shif'less Sol complacently; "I know I ain't had much
chances to become eddicated, but I hev the natur' o' an eddicated man. My
mind jest glows at the idea uv learnin', an' I respecks eddication