No smoke curled up from the chimney.

The door and shutters were closed.

Anyone who, passing through the valley, had turned among the trees and accidentally come upon it, would have taken it for some hut erected by a wood cutter.
One of the men knocked three times at the door, and it was at once opened.

Jim was pushed inside, the men followed him, and the door was shut.
"Who have you got here ?" a man, sitting by the side of a large fire some distance inside the cottage, asked angrily.
"It's a nigger who wants work.

He says he is accustomed to horses so, as it was the choice between shooting him and bringing him here, we thought we might as well bring him to you.