До Адама
Chapter X
Afterthat,toshowtheinconsequentialityoflifeinthosedays,wefelltoplaying.Itmusthavetakenusallofamonth,workingintermittently,tomakeourtree-house;andthen,whenitwascompleted,weneveruseditagain.
ButIrunaheadofmystory.Whenwefelltoplaying,afterbreakfast,ontheseconddayawayfromthecaves,Lop-Earledmeachasethroughthetreesanddowntotheriver.Wecameoutuponitwherealargesloughenteredfromtheblueberryswamp.Themouthofthissloughwaswide,whilethesloughitselfwaspracticallywithoutacurrent.Inthedeadwater,justinsideitsmouth,layatangledmassoftreetrunks.Someofthese,whatofthewearandtearoffreshetsandofbeingstrandedlongsummersonsand-bars,wereseasonedanddryandwithoutbranches.Theyfloatedhighinthewater,andbobbedupanddownorrolledoverwhenweputourweightuponthem.
Hereandtherebetweenthetrunkswerewater-cracks,andthroughthemwecouldseeschoolsofsmallfish,likeminnows,dartingbackandforth.Lop-EarandIbecamefishermenatonce.Lyingflatonthelogs,keepingperfectlyquiet,waitingtilltheminnowscameclose,wewouldmakeswiftpasseswithourhands.Ourprizesweateonthespot,wrigglingandmoist.Wedidnotnoticethelackofsalt.
Themouthofthesloughbecameourfavoriteplayground.Herewespentmanyhourseachday,catchingfishandplayingonthelogs,andhere,oneday,welearnedourfirstlessonsinnavigation.ThelogonwhichLop-Earwaslyinggotadrift.Hewascurleduponhisside,asleep.
