ear the river.
It's about five miles away, as nearly as I can judge."

Billy Bowlegs's countenance fell.

"Then we can't make the canoe here after all our work to build a
house."

"I didn't say that, Billy. On the contrary, I think we must make it
here, as there is no fit place for a camp nearer the river than this.
Beside, the river will be out of its banks pretty soon if the rain
continues, and will overflow all the low grounds."

"Then we've got to carry the canoe five miles! We can't do it, that's
all," said Jake Elliott, who had not spoken before.

Sam looked at Jake rather sternly, and was about to make him a sharp
answer, but changed his mind and said instead:--

"You and Billy are in too big a hurry to draw conclusions, Jake. Billy
begins by assuming that because the river is five miles away we can't
make the canoe here, and you jump to the conclusion that if we make it
here we must carry it five miles. The fact is, you're both wrong. We
can make it here, and we needn't carry it five miles, or one mile, or
half a mile."

"How's that?" asked Tom.

"Now _you're_ in a hurry, are you Tom? I was just about to explain and
only stopped to swallow, but before I could do it you pushed a
question in between my teeth."

"SILENCE!" roared Billy Bowlegs, "the court cannot be heard." Billy's
father was sheriff of his county, and Billy had often heard him make
more noise in commanding silence in the court room than the room full
of people were making by requiring the caution.

Silence succeeding the laughter which Billy's unfilial mimicry had
provoked, Sam resumed his explanation.

"There's a creek down there about a hundred yards, which runs into the
river. It is a small affair, but is pretty well up now, and my plan is
to make the canoe here and paddle her down the creek to the river
while the water is high."

"Hurrah! now for work!" shouted the boys, who by this time had
finished their breakfast.

"Where's your timber, Sam?" asked Tom, bringing in the axes and adze
out of the tent.

Sam had taken pains to select a proper tree for his purpose, a
gigantic poplar more than three feet in diameter, which lay near the
creek, where it had fallen several years before.

When the boys saw it, they looked at Sam in astonishment.

"Why, Sam, you don't mean to work that great big thing into a dug-out,
do you?" asked Sid Russell.

"Why not, Sid?" asked Sam.

"Why, its bigger'n a dozen dug-outs."

"Yes, that is