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upon the sky。 KEEPING STRAIGHT AHEAD； I entered the forest on one
side of the meadow （with quite a heroic sense of adventure）； but scraped
my shin on a fallen log and ran into a tree with bark on it that felt like a
gigantic currycomband stopped！
Up to this point I think I was still partly asleep。 Now； however； I
waked up。
〃All you need；〃 said I to myself in my most matter…of…fact tone； 〃is a
little cool sense。 Be quiet now and reason it out。〃
So I stood there for some moments reasoning it out； with the result that
I turned back and found the meadow again。
〃What a fool I've been！〃 I said。 〃Isn't it perfectly plain that I should
have gone down to the pond； crossed over the inlet； and reached the road
by the way I came？〃
Having thus settled my problem； and congratulating myself on my
perspicacity； I started straight for the mill…pond； but to my utter
amazement； in the few short hours while I had been asleep； that entire
body of water had evaporated； the dam had disappeared； and the stream
had dried up。 I must certainly present the facts in this remarkable case to
some learned society。
I then decided to return to the old apple…tree where I had slept； which
now seemed quite like home； but； strange to relate； the apple…tree had also
completely vanished from the enchanted meadow。 At that I began to
suspect that in coming out of the forest I had somehow got into another
and somewhat similar old field。 I have never had a more confused or eerie
sensation； not fear； but a sort of helplessness in which for an instant I
actually began to doubt whether it was I myself； David Grayson； who
stood there in the dark meadow； or whether I was the victim of a
peculiarly bad dream。 I suppose many other people have had these
sensations under similar conditions； but they were new to me。
I turned slowly around and looked for a light； I think I never wanted so
much to see some sign of human habitation as I did at that moment。
What a coddled world we live in； truly。 That being out after dark in a
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meadow should so disturb the very centre of our being！ In all my life；
indeed； and I suppose the same is true of ninety…nine out of a hundred of
the people in America to…day； I had never before found myself where
nothing stood between nature and me； where I had no place to sleep； no
shelter for the nightnor any prospect of finding one。 I was infinitely less
resourceful at that moment than a rabbit； or a partridge； or a gray squirrel。
Presently I sat down on the ground where I had been standing； with a
vague fear （absurd to look back upon） that it； too； in some manner might
slip away from under me。 And as I sat there I began to have familiar
gnawings at the pit of my stomach； and I remembered that； save for a
couple of Mrs。 Clark's doughnuts eaten while I was sitting on the hillside；
ages ago； I had had nothing since my early breakfast。
With this thought of my predicamentand the glimpse I had of myself
〃hungry and homeless〃the humour of the whole situation suddenly came
over me； and； beginning with a chuckle； I wound up； as my mind dwelt
upon my recent adventures； with a long； loud； hearty laugh。
As I laughedand what a roar it made in that darkness！I got up on
my feet and looked up at the sky。 One bright star shone out over the woods；
and in high heavens I could see dimly the white path of the Milky Way。
And all at once I seemed again to be in command of myself and of the
world。 I felt a sudden lift and thrill of the spirits； a warm sense that this too
was part of the great adventurethe Thing Itself。
〃This is the light；〃 I said looking up again at the sky and the single
bright star； 〃which is set for me to…night。 I will make my bed by it。〃
I can hope to make no one understand （unless he understands already）
with what joy of adventure I now crept through the meadow toward the
wood。 It was an unknown； unexplored world I was in； and I； the fortunate
discoverer； had here to shift for himself； make his home under the stars！
Marquette on the wild shores of the Mississippi； or Stanley in Africa； had
no joy that I did not know at that moment。
I crept along the meadow and came at last to the wood。 Here I chose a
somewhat sheltered spot at the foot of a large treeand yet a spot not so
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obscured that I could not look out over the open spaces of the meadow and
see the sky。 Here； groping in the darkness； like some primitive creature； I
raked together a pile of leaves with my fingers； and found dead twigs and
branches of trees； but in that moist forest （where the rain had fallen only
the day before） my efforts to kindle a fire were unavailing。 Upon this； I
considered using some pages from my notebook； but another alternative
suggested itself：
〃Why not Montaigne？〃
With that I groped for the familiar volume； and with a curious
sensation of satisfaction I tore out a handful of pages from the back。
〃Better Montaigne than Grayson；〃 I said； with a chuckle。 It was
amazing how Montaigne sparkled and crackled when he was well lighted。
〃There goes a bundle of quotations from Vergil；〃 I said； 〃and there's
his observations on the eating of fish。 There are more uses than one for the
classics。〃
So I ripped out a good part of another chapter； and thus； by coaxing；
got my fire to going。 It was not difficult after that to find enough fuel to
make it blaze up warmly。
I opened my bag and took out the remnants of the luncheon which Mrs。
Clark had given me that morning； and I was surprised and delighted to
find； among the other things； a small bottle of coffee。 This suggested all
sorts of pleasing possibilities and； the spirit of invention being now
awakened； I got out my tin cup； split a sapling stick so I could fit it into
the handle； and set the cup； full of coffee； on the coals at the edge of the
fire。 It was soon heated； and although I spilled some of it in getting it off；
and although it was well spiced with ashes； I enjoyed it； with Mrs。 Clark's
doughnuts and sandwiches （some of which I toasted with a sapling fork）
as thoroughly； I think； as ever I enjoyed any meal。
How little we