"Where on earth did you get that?" he asked in astonishment.
"Bob got it last night," she answered, "and dressed it himself."
"I don't know yet. He laughs when I ask questions. I'm sorely afraid Bob stole the hog from some farmer. I sent him out with some money to buy whatever meat he could find, for I saw that the men must have substantial food. He came back about daylight, and told me he had a dressed hog 'out dar in de bushes.' He gave me back all the money I had given him, and, as I say, he simply laughs when I ask questions. I'll make him tell me all about it this afternoon. If he stole the hog, we can pay for it. And meanwhile the men shall have their dinner. How is the work getting on?"
"Rapidly--but not rapidly enough, I fear. I must hurry back now."
"I'll go with you," said the girl. "Bob can watch the roasting," for Bob had reappeared at the fire.
"But you can't go with me," replied Duncan. "The water's knee deep, and more, between here and the crib."
"It can't make me any wetter than I am now," replied the resolute girl, as she set off in Duncan's company.
At the crib she studied the situation critically. She knew nothing of engineering, of course, but she had an abundance of practical common sense, and in most of the affairs of this life, common sense goes a long way as a substitute for skill.
"What time is it now?" she asked, after she had watched the slow progress of the work long enough to estimate the prospect.
"Then we've only an hour and a half more. It isn't enough. You can never fill that hole in time."
"I'm afraid we can't. I'm afraid we've lost in the struggle."
"Oh, no, you mustn't feel that way. We simply must win this battle. If we can't do it in one way, we must find another."
Duncan made no answer. There seemed to him no answer to be made. The girl continued to look about her. After a while she asked:
"Is the end of the crib at the county line?"
"Yes--or rather the line lies a little way this side of the end of the crib."
Again she remained silent for a time, before saying:
"There are two big tree trunks lying longways there in the crib. They extend across the county line. Why can't you jack them up into place, and lay your rails along them, without filling the space, and without using any ties?"