Page:The Wreck of a World - Grove - 1890.djvu/145

Rh the wood down to the coast, but seemed quite unable to get on the right track at all —."

"No wonder," said Gell, "without my compass I might have been wandering there still."

"At last I hit upon two pairs of great wheel tracks which I followed, thinking they were those of my enemies of the previous night, and would lead me down to the shore. Unfortunately however they bore direct towards the city of New Orleans.

"When I got in sight of the town I saw several engines moving about close under its walls and dared not approach nearer. So the whole of that day I was without food, and felt very weak and miserable. As soon as darkness came on I crept into the town and wandered about the desolate street in search of something to eat. At last I found a baker's shop when I regaled myself nobly on stale bread and cakes baked at least a week before. Then I crept back to the wood fearing to be in the town in daylight.

"If you had only stayed there," said I, "we should have met again, the time that I brought Lieut. Danvers up to see that it was deserted, which he would not believe on our word."