he
boards forward as we passed over them, until we came to the downward
slope, when the heavy weight was inclined to travel faster than was
safe for it. But I had a rope on the case, for I had already provided
for the emergency. Making it fast to the rear end of the box, I passed
it round a tree, and while Morgan eased it down the slope, I shifted
the rollers. When the whole length of the line had been run out, we
changed it to another tree.

As the descent increased, we found that the rope canted the box, so
that it was in danger of running off the board track. Morgan cut down a
tree about thirty foot high, and trimmed off its branches. We placed
the stick across the track behind the box, and above two trees. Passing
the rope around this timber, we had our purchase in the right place.
When we shifted the cross stick down the hill, the box was held by a
couple of props. In this manner we descended the slope. It was dinner
time then, and we halted in our triumphant progress to refresh
ourselves with boiled bacon and johnny-cake.

After dinner we resumed our labor. Taking the axes, we cleared a road
through the young wood near the river. We had occasionally been obliged
to use the shovels to level off the ground, and the axes to remove a
stump, or a small tree. Our course had been rather devious also, in
order to obtain the smoothest path. A couple of hours more enabled us
to reach the river. We placed the box near a convenient place to embark
it. We then prepared a dozen logs for the foundation of the great raft
we were to make of the lumber, and returned to the house.

I found the soldiers growling at the idea of lugging all the boards and
timbers down to the river.

"Don't do it," said I to Mr. Jackson.

"They must do it, or leave them here."

"No, sir, I think not. There is not a board nor a timber here that is
more than twelve feet long. We can make three or four piles of the
boards, and roll them down to the river, as we did the grand piano."

"Bully for you, Phil!" said a lazy soldier, in a low tone.

"You may try it, Phil," replied Mr. Jackson.

Morgan and I made a pile of boards eight feet long, three feet wide,
and three feet high. We were careful to "break joints" in laying up the
pile, and it was a compact mass when finished. We started it for the
river, on the rollers.

CHAPTER XXIII.

IN WHICH PHIL'S RECONSTRUCTION PLAN IS FULLY SET FORTH.

In moving the pile of lumber to the river, we