Goodie Tegall said that if I kept a good pace, I would see a stand of birches next to the road before dusk. They would mark the beginning of a path that would lead to a hut back from the road. As the trees began to grow closer and closer to the road, and the road began to climb higher into the foothills of the mountains, it was becoming harder to judge the time of day. The dimming light and my growling stomach gave me clues that dusk was approaching. I kept my eyes open for any birch tree. Finally, at long last, my eyes caught a glimpse of some white bark, and there just as she had said was a large stand of birch trees. I could see just beyond them an opening. It was hard to tell that it was a path, but I followed it into the woods and after about 10 minutes found a well built, yet abandoned hut. When I approached the hut, I saw a covered well to my right, so I could have fresh water for the night. I lifted the latch on the door and stepped into a small one room hut that was obviously used by someone at some time. I could tell at a glance that the room which was perhaps 10 by 10 would make a fine home for the night. Opposite the door there was a stone fireplace with firewood piled by it including tinder and kindling. To the right was a platform that could be used as a bed. On the left side of the room next to the wall was a table. On it was an unlit candle in a candle stick. A bench and two chairs completed the room contents, except for the spiders that had obviously made themselves at home since the last time anyone had stayed here. In the dim light of dusk I lit that candle and saw that there was a candle box on the table that was filled with more tapers. I took off the cloak I had worn all day and then put my backpack on the bench. I looked around my new surroundings again. Next to the door was a bucket that obviously was for water. I grabbed it, and after knocked out the spiders that seemed to have made their home in the bucket, went to the well and filled it. Once I brought the water inside, I fastened the door and pulled in the latch string. If anyone tried to enter the hut during the night, they would not find it easy. By the flickering of the candle I used my flint and steel to ignite some of the tinder I arranged in the stone fireplace. I added the kindling when the tinder caught, and finally put on a couple of small logs. The fire would provide me with some warmth and light overnight. While it was just the end of summer and the beginning of autumn in the village, I knew that the night might be cold up here in the hills. I would replace some of the wood I used in the morning, so that the next people who used this hut would not be put to any trouble. I wondered if this was some sort of small hunting lodge. I wondered how Goodie Tegall knew about it. I refilled my water container from the bucket and drank my fill. Then I refilled it. I dragged the bench over in front of the fire and unpacked one of the pasties from it. Even cold the pasty was filling and reminded me of the security I felt in Goodie Tegall