or the principal building, and very hard work it
was, especially to Tom, whose young arms and back ached sadly when he
went to bed that night. By the end of a week of this toil, a good number
of logs had been prepared, and Uncle John proposed that he and Tom
should make their way to the settler's, about ten miles distant, and see
if there were any men he could ask to help put up the house, as the
raising of the great logs would prove a slow and laborious task to so
few workmen as they now numbered. He was provided with a pocket-compass,
a rifle, and a good map of the country, and there was no real danger to
be feared, so Mrs. and Mr. Lee readily consented, and accordingly Uncle
John mounted on one of Mr. Jones's horses, and Tom on his father's,
which was one of the four that had drawn the wagon, with a bag of
provisions slung behind him, and an axe to blaze the track, started the
next morning by day-break. Although they were not expected to return
until the next day, the night passed anxiously with the little family,
and it was a joyful relief to them when about three in the afternoon
they heard Tom's well-known halloo from the western wood, and presently
saw him appear, followed by two strangers, and his uncle driving a fine
cow.

"Here we are, mother, safe and sound!" exclaimed the boy, as he jumped
from his horse, and ran to kiss her, "and a fine time we've had!"

"We've been successful you see, sister," said Uncle John, who had also
dismounted, and came up with the cow; "Mr. Watson and his son have very
kindly consented to help us; and isn't this a beauty?"

"Indeed, ma'am," said Mr. Watson, shaking her hand heartily, "it's but a
trifling way of showing how well pleased we are to get neighbors. We
have been living some six years out here, and never had a house nearer
than Painted Posts, a good thirty miles off. My wife says she hopes to
be good friends with you, and when you are fairly settled she will come
over. She's English, too, and longs sadly to talk about the old country
with some one just from it."

"It will give me a great deal of pleasure to see her, Mr. Watson,"
replied Mrs. Lee, looking as she felt, very happy at this prospect of
not being quite alone in the wilderness; "and as we shall both meet with
the wish to be good friends, I think there is no fear of our not being
so."

"You'll soon have some chickens, and turkeys, and pigs, mother," said
Tom; "Mrs. Watson has such a number, and she says you