As I have said, a college had already been founded in Jacksonville.  Indeed, some years before my coming the one brick building on the campus had been constructed; and before that the log hut, also on the campus, in which the young president and his pretty wife had spent their first winter here in 1829.  Reverdy told me that he had helped to hew and place the logs.  I had become acquainted with Mr. Sturtevant, the president; for he was eager to hear of England, and Oxford and Eton.  I was fascinated with this experiment of a college in the wilderness.  He loaned me many books; and I often spent an evening at his house.

In September I decided to go out to the farm and live with the Engles.  I had many plans for the spring which could be better attended to on the ground; and then I was getting ready to build me a house.  Reverdy knew where to find the logs, how to prepare them.  He knew where to get men to help him, and I was glad to leave these things to him.  Mr. Brooks had already commenced proceedings to settle the title to the land, dividing it between Zoe and me.  This was off my mind.  I had men building fences, plowing.  I was buying horses, cattle, hogs.  In all these things Reverdy was an incalculable help.  I could not have succeeded without him.  He knew horses and he helped me to honest dealers.

One day I was walking over my land.  I came to a beautiful grove of trees by the brook.  And there in the midst of it was a log hut.  I pushed the rude door open and entered.  There was but one room.  It had a fireplace needing repair.  I saw a ladder in the corner, climbed it through a loft hole and looked into the loft.  The rafters were rough and crooked, made only of undressed poles.  I could see daylight through the shingles.  The floor was of hewn planks.  But I was elated.  Why not come here to live?  I did not like the Engle children.  They were too numerous.  I had no privacy there.  But here!  I could be to myself.  I could make myself more comfortable than I was at the Engles’.  I could have what food I wanted.  I could kill game, for the country was full of it.  I could bring my books.  I could be a lord.

I hurried back to town to tell Reverdy; to ask him to help me to mend the fireplace, and to put the house in condition for the coming winter.  Reverdy looked at me in astonishment.  How could I stand the loneliness?  Did I know what I was getting into?  Could I take care of myself entirely?  What if I fell ill again and in the middle of the winter, when the ways were snowbound?

I thought of Zoe.  Why not take her with me?  I could teach her.  She could run the house.  Reverdy looked at me with a certain dubiety.  Sarah would hate to part with Zoe.  Perhaps there were other things; but he did not express them.  However, nothing could deter me.

Zoe was delighted with the plan.  She wanted to get away, to be with me, since I wanted her.  Besides, Reverdy and Sarah were to be married in a few days.  He was coming to the house to live and that would make a difference in the conveniences.  And Mrs. Spurgeon, as far as I could judge, was not averse to Zoe’s departure.  Thus it was to be as I wished.