It was about twenty rods away, but he did not examine it, because a great idea had been born suddenly in his brain.

The attempt to fulfill the idea would be accompanied by extreme danger, but he did not hesitate a moment.

He stole gently to one of the half-fallen outhouses and went inside.

Here he found what he wanted, a large pine shelf that had been sheltered from rain and that was perfectly dry.

He scraped off a large quantity of the dry pine until it formed almost a dust, and he did not cease until he had filled his cap with it.