What does Abaline know about Gideon?

From the text:

No, Gideon was more “living by your wits” smart. He had once turned a bunch of wildflowers into a twenty- dollar bill. Some might have said that wasn’t smart, that was magic. Not the way Gideon had done it.

He could start a campfire quicker than most. He always let out a contented breath after a first sip of coffee. And he liked to flip flapjacks high into the air.