Winnie S. grinned. "'Tain't nobody's home, not now," he said. "This
house is empty. Ain't nobody lived in it for 'most a year."

The two women looked at each other. Mrs. Barnes drew along breath.

"Well," she observed, "if this ain't the last straw. Such a cruise as
we've had; and finally be shipwrecked right in front of a house and find
it's an empty one! Don't talk to ME! Well," sharply, "what shall we do
next?"

The driver shook his head.

"Dummed if I know!" he answered. "The old wagon can't go another yard.
I--I cal'late you folks'll have to stay here for a spell."

"Stay? Where'll we stay; out here in the middle of this howlin'
wilderness?"

"I guess so. Unless you want to walk the rest of the way, same's I'm
cal'latin' to. I'm goin' to unharness the horse and put him under the
shed here and then hoof it over to the village and get somebody to come
and help. You can come along if you want to, but it'll be a tougher
v'yage than the one we've come through."

"How far off is this--this village of yours?"

"Oh, about a mile and a half!"

"A mile and a half! And it's beginnin' to rain again! Emily, I don't