George did not recover his spirits during the remainder of the walk, and
was very glad to get home to his mother again, and have his poor swelled
nose tenderly bathed, and his stained clothes changed.

The next few days were busily employed in buying and packing the things
necessary for their future comfort; and Mr. Lee had reason to rejoice
that he had so good a counsellor and assistant as Uncle John. Flour,
Indian meal, molasses, pickled pork, sugar and tea, a couple of rifles,
powder and shot, axes saws, etc., a plough, spades and hoes, a churn,
etc., were the principal items of their purchases; and to convey these,
and the boxes they had brought from England, it was necessary to hire
one of the long, covered wagons of the country. Uncle John had already
bought, at a great bargain, a pair of fine oxen, and a strong ox-cart.
These were a great acquisition. Mrs. Lee was anxious to get a cow and
some poultry; but her brother advised her to wait, as they would be so
great a trouble on the journey, and it was, besides, most probable that
they could be procured from their nearest neighbor--a settler about ten
miles from their place.

Early one bright morning, they started for their new home, the wagon
taking the lead. It was drawn by four strong horses, driven by Mr.
Jones, from whom it had been hired, and contained the best of the goods:
the beds were arranged on the boxes within, so as to form comfortable
seats for Mrs. Lee, Annie, and the two little ones. The ox-cart
followed, guided by Uncle John, assisted by Mr. Lee and Tom, both of
whom were desirous to learn the art of ox-driving, of which they were to
have so much by-and-by. The journey was long and wearisome; and it was
not until the evening of the fifth day after leaving Cincinnati, that
they arrived at Painted Posts--a village about twenty miles distant from
their destination. From this place the road became almost impassible,
and the toil of travelling very disheartening. They were frequently
obliged to make a long circuit to avoid some monster tree which had
fallen just across the track, and to ford streams whose stony beds and
swift-flowing waters presented a fearful aspect. Mr Jones the wagoner
walked nearly all day at the head of the foremost pair of horses, with
his axe in his hand, every now and then taking off a slice of the bark
of the trees as he passed. Annie watched him for some time with great
curiosity.

"What can he do it for?" said she to h