As for Judie, she would hardly have raised her eyebrows if Sam had burned water, or whittled it into dolls' heads before her eyes.

She believed in Sam absolutely, and supposed, as a matter of course, that he knew everything and could do anything he liked.

But Joe was not yet satisfied that water could be made to assist in the kindling of a fire.
He said nothing more, however, but carefully watched all of Sam's preparations.
That young gentleman began by tearing a strip of cotton cloth from his shirt, and picking it to pieces.

He then gathered from the drift-wood a number of dry sticks, and broke and split them up very fine.
"We must have a few splinters of light-wood," he said; "but after the fire is once started, we mustn't put any more pine on." So saying, he split off a few splinters from a piece of rich heart-pine, which Southern people call "light-wood," because the negroes use it instead of lamps or candles.
"Come now," said Sam, "its nearly noon, and I think I can get fire for you.

Go up on top of the drift-pile, Tom, and look out for Indians.