Let me think." "I know wha' we is.

Mas' Sam," said Joe.
"Where, Joe," asked Sam, incredulously.
"We'se dun' los',--dat's wha' we is," replied Joe.
Sam laughed.
"I know more than that," said Tom, "I know _where_ we're lost." "Wha', Mas' Tom ?" cried Joe, eagerly.
"In a swamp," said Tom.
"And I know what swamp," said Sam, "which is better still.

This swamp is the low grounds of a little creek, and I've been in it before to-night.
I don't know just which way to go to get out, because I don't know just what part of the swamp we're in.

But if my foot was well I'd soon find out." "How, Mas' Sam ?" "I'd climb that sweet gum and look for landmarks." "Lan' marks?
what's dem, Mas' Sam?
will dey bite ?" "No, Joe, I mean I would look around and find something or other to steer by,--a house an open field or something." "I kin climb, Mas' Sam," replied Joe, "an' I'll be up dat dar tree in less'n no time." [Illustration: "WE 'S DUN LOS'-- DATS WHAT WE IS."] And up the tree he went as nimbly as any squirrel might.

As he went up, Sam cautioned him to make no noise, and not to shout, but to look around carefully, and then to come down and tell what he had seen.
"I see a big openin'," said Joe, when he reached the ground again, "an' nigh de middle uv it dey's a big grove, wid a littler one jis' off to de left." "Yes," said Sam, "I thought you'd see that.