a serpent in the road
directly before them. So he turned aside, to go round by a compass in
the woods."

"A compass?" said Caleb.

"Yes," said his grandmother; "that is a round-about way. But it was very
rough and stony. Presently, Samuel stopped and said, 'Father, it seems
to me it is pretty stony; haven't we got out of the path?'

"'Yes,' said his father; 'but you promised to be patient and submissive,
and trust every thing to me.'

"'Well,' said Samuel, 'you know best, and I will follow.'

"So he walked on again. When they had got by, his father told him that
the reason why he had gone out of the road was, that there was a serpent
there. And so, when God leads us in a difficult way, Caleb, that we
don't understand at the time, we often see the reason of it afterwards."

Caleb did not answer, and Madam Rachel went on with her story.

"By and by, his father came within the sound of the brook again, and
stopped a minute or two, and then he told Samuel that he should have to
leave him a short time, and that he might sit down upon a log, and wait
until he came back. 'But, father,' said Samuel, 'I don't want to be left
alone here in the woods, in the dark.' 'It is not dark,' said his
father. 'It is all dark to me,' said Samuel. 'I know it is,' said his
father, 'and I am very sorry; but you promised to leave every thing to
me, and be obedient and submissive.' 'So I will, father; you know best,
and I will do just as you say.' So Samuel sat down upon the log, and his
father went away. He was a little terrified by the solitude, and the
darkness, and the roaring of the water; but he trusted to his father,
and was still.

"By and by, he heard a noise as of something heavy falling into the
water. He was frightened, for he thought it was his father. But it was
not his father. What do you think it was, Caleb?"

Caleb did not answer. Madam Rachel looked down to see why he did not
speak, and as she moved him a little, so as to see his face, his head
rolled over to one side; and, in short, Madam Rachel found that he was
fast asleep.

"Poor little fellow!" said she; and she rose carefully, and carried him
to the bed, and laid him down. He opened his eyes a moment, when his
cheek came in contact with the cool pillow, but turned his face over
immediately, shut his eyes again, and was soon in a sound sleep.

CHAPTER VI.

ENGINEERING.

When Caleb awoke it was almost evening. The rays of the setting sun were
shinin