said Mrs. Jones.

But Charley came rushing towards her, and, throwing up his cap,
cried,--

"O, isn't it fun! It wasn't a bear, mother; it was only Mr. Abbott's
black hog that he lost last fall, and thought was dead. He had run
wild, feeding on roots and acorns, and was awful fat. But they didn't
know 'twas a hog till they shot him, the dogs kept up such a yelping,
and the grass and bushes hid him so. They've gone after a wagon to
take him home."

But Tom was at work making an opening in the fence nearest the woods;
seeing which, Charley called out,--

"What you doing that for, Tom?"

"I've been thinking," answered Tom, pleasantly, "that we shall want
some wood near the cabin next winter, instead of digging it out of the
snow, and I'm fixing a place to drag it through."

"Yes, children," added the mother, "Tom and I have been talking it
over. Suppose you take hold together and see how big a pile you can
get up. It will be so nice to have plenty of wood to cook the
corn-cakes with, and keep us comfortable when it's freezing weather!"

The project pleased the youngsters, even to Bub, and, headed by Tom,
they began at once to put it into execution.

It is customary in new countries for the first comers to help
themselves freely to the trees on government land, for logs with which
to construct their cabins, and to rive into shingles and saw into
boards; and many a sinewy oak had fallen before the frontiersman's axe
in the woods near the Joneses, leaving the brawny limbs upon the
ground. There were also many dead trees still standing, and from these
sources dry, hard wood of the best quality could always be obtained.

Tom directed operations. The limbs and small dead trees were thrown or
dragged in piles a certain distance towards the field; from there
another took them to the opening in the fence, and from thence others
of the youngsters pulled them up to the house. The girls and boys had
a merry time of it, Sarah making the woods ring with her bird-like
voice as she sang at her task, while many a joke was exchanged by the
lively little company. But no one of them entered on the labor with
more zeal, and a higher appreciation of his own services, than Bub.

"That child is always under foot," said Eliza, as she stumbled over
him while tugging along a scrawny limb.

"You ought to go into the house," said Tom; "I'm afraid you'll get
hurt."

"No, I won't," answered the child, "tause I dot to tarry in the wood;"