The kitchen lay at the back, and actually had a wood stove in it, capable of baking bread or biscuits on occasion.  Water, too, had been piped to the cabin from some spring farther up the rise; though, in the dead of winter a supply must of necessity be obtained from some other source since this would be frozen up.

These things, and many others along the same line, caused Max to survey Obed with a new source of wonder.  Who was this remarkable boy, and how on earth did he come to possess such a magical lodge up here in the unpeopled wilderness?  Why, a rich man could hardly have surrounded himself with more in the way of comforts; and yet, according to his language, and his account of himself, Obed was only an ordinary child of the woods, one of the very numerous Grimes tribe, many of whom doubtless gained their living by serving as guides in season.

Max, after staring around him in due wonder and admiration, turned again to Obed.  He could see that the other was observing them with that merry twinkle in his eyes? and evidently expecting his guests to express amazement at finding so wonderful a habitation where they had anticipated so little.

“Its just splendid, that’s the only word I can find to express my feelings, Obed,” Max hastened to say, at which the other laughed aloud.

“Course, now, you-all are awonderin’ jest how a poor woods boy like me ‘d ever git hold o’ such a clever cabin,” he went on to say; “but shucks! that’s an easy one to explain.  Yuh see, it was built by a man who had plenty o’ money and poor health.  He thought he could get well by stayin’ here, and so he fixed her up to beat the band.  That big chair he loved to sit in when the fire was agoin’.  But jest as he got fixed so nice his wife sent for him to come back home; and, say, he had to go.  So, havin’ no use for his place here, he turned it over tuh me for a song, I c’n show yuh the bill o’ sale.  Yuh see, I got to know Mr. Coombs right well, for he was interested in my ijee o’ startin’ a fur farm.  Well, he’s dead now.  I often think when I’m sittin’ here enjoyin’ what he built that somehow his spirit must be a hoverin’ around, cause he certainly did love this place a heap.”

The explanation entirely satisfied Max, though of course that skeptic of a Bandy-legs had to let his eyebrows go up in an arch as he listened; but then Bandy-legs would doubt anything that savored of the uncommon.  Max simply frowned at him and paid no more attention to his manner.

“You were certainly mighty lucky to fall heir to such a lovely little home as this, Obed,” Steve was saying, with a streak of envy in his voice.  “Say, I’d just be tickled half to death now if I could spend a month up here with you.  There must be plenty of game around, I reckon; and it’d be a real delight to keep house in a little palace like this.  But how are you going to tuck us away for the night, Obed, if I might be so bold as to ask, seeing that as yet we haven’t had an invite to stay over?”