I awoke the next morning to a bright cool crsip morning. I had no desire to go hunting, so I lounged around the camp. I fired up the generator to make me a good cup of coffee. I got the coffee going, and lit the Coleman stove to start breakfast. You can not beat the smell of bacon frying, but it is even more special when you are in the bottom and the smell of bacon and eggs seem to cover the entire woods. To heck with hunting. I had just spent my first night in this cabin alone, and I am going to enjoy a good breakfast. Son of a gun, you talking about good, Honey Hush. That is a Fritzi slogan. Fritzi is like family to us and Fritz if you ever read this, Hey Fritz. Frits would be saying "Da, you need to get out of them woods and to civilization. There are critters down there, sasquatches and all that stuff." She is a West Texas girl and the river bottom is not her cup of tea. She works wtih special needs children and has been a blessing to our family. Rock on Fritz!

After breakfast I ponder what to do, and decide to split some of the rich lighter pine that I had gathered. Rich lighter is used to start the stove fire. Rich lighter comes from the core of old, dead and dried pine trees. This stuff is almost like gasoline. I love to smell rich lighter, it is a strong pine smell, and the richer the more stronger the smell. If it is red in color, then you have got some good kindling.

I found a single bit axe and began splitting. Within a few minutes I was down to a tee shirt and jeans. If you ever get stranded and get cold, just mimick splitting wood and I promise you will warm up fast. Splitting rich lighter pine can be dangerous. Rich lighter is hard and if you hit it wrong or have a glancing blow, the stuff liable to fly anywhere. And it did. I was going along, doing pretty good. I had a couple of near misses, and thought not if I would get hit but when and how bad will it hurt?

Well, needless to say it hurt pretty darn bad. A piece shot out from the ax and hit me directly on the chin bone. I immediately did the Texas Two Step for about ten minutes. You would have thought a panther was yelling out in the woods. After I discovered that nothing was broken or bleeding, I took a break.

I checked on the River level and watched leaves floating down on their way to wherever. My eyes drifted toward Tub Lake and my memory flashed to the one in a million buck that had roamed this vast river bottom. I might as well tell you my encounter with my chance of a lifetime. Sit back, get a cup of Joe, this will take a while..........