It was hardly unreasonable to expect to see at any moment, the gables and square windows of an Elizabethan mansion in one of the well kept groves.
Towards sunset of the third day, when the young gentlemen thought they ought to be near the town of Magnolia, near which they had been directed to find the engineers' camp, they descried a log house and drew up before it to enquire the way.

Half the building was store, and half was dwelling house.

At the door of the latter stood a regress with a bright turban on her head, to whom Philip called, "Can you tell me, auntie, how far it is to the town of Magnolia ?" "Why, bress you chile," laughed the woman, "you's dere now." It was true.

This log horse was the compactly built town, and all creation was its suburbs.

The engineers' camp was only two or three miles distant.
"You's boun' to find it," directed auntie, "if you don't keah nuffin 'bout de road, and go fo' de sun-down." A brisk gallop brought the riders in sight of the twinkling light of the camp, just as the stars came out.