His skin-coat was ragged and his fur-cap battered, but he looked alert and virile as he stood by the steaming horses' heads.

The gray trunks of the pines made a good background for his tall figure, which had an almost statuesque grace.
"You look very well, Bob," Festing remarked.

"It's obvious that the pain has gone." "It won't come back while the dry weather lasts; I don't know about afterwards.

These are pretty good logs." "I was wondering how you were able to bring up so many." "They're here; that's the main thing.

You can look after other matters and leave this to me." "If you don't mind, I'd like to see how you did it," Festing replied.
"Oh, well! You're a persistent fellow; I suppose you had better come along." Festing went with him and stopped where a gang of men were at work among the fallen trees.