"They say it often happens with those who are
taken young into the wilderness. The forest lays a spell upon them when
they are easy to receive impressions."

The mother looked troubled, but Mr. Ware laughed.

"Don't bother about it," he said. "It can be cured. We have merely to
teach him the sense of responsibility."

This they proceeded to do.

CHAPTER III

LOST IN THE WILDERNESS

The method by which Mr. and Mrs. Ware undertook to teach Henry a sense
of responsibility was an increase of work. Founding a new state was no
light matter, and he must do his share. Since he loved to fish, it
became his duty to supply the table with fish, and that, too, at regular
hours, and he also began to think of traps and snares, which he would
set in the autumn for game. It was always wise for the pioneer to save
his powder and lead, the most valuable of his possessions and the
hardest to obtain. Any food that could be procured without its use was a
welcome addition.

But fishing remained his easiest task, and he did it all with a pole
that he cut with his clasp knife, a string and a little piece of bent
and stiffened wire. He caught perch, bass, suckers, trout, sunfish,
catfish, and other kinds, the names of which he did not know. Sometimes
when his hook and line had brought him all that was needed, and the day
was hot, he would take off his clothing and plunge into the deep, cool
pools. Often his friend, Paul Cotter, was with him. Paul was a year
younger than Henry, and not so big. Hence the larger boy felt himself,
in a certain sense, Paul's teacher and protector, which gave him a
comfortable feeling, and a desire to help his comrade as much as he
could.

He taught the smaller lad new tricks in swimming, and scarcely a day
passed when two sunburned, barefooted boys did not go to the river,
quickly throw off their clothing, and jump into the clear water. There
they swam and floated for a long time, dived, and ducked each other, and
then lay on the grass in the sun until they dried.

"Paul," said Henry once, as they were stretched thus on the bank,
"wouldn't you like to have nothing to do, but wander through the woods
just as you pleased, sleep wherever you wished, and kill game when you
grew hungry, just like the Indians?"

Henry's eyes were on the black line of the forest, and the blue haze of
the sky beyond. His spirit was away in the depths of the unknown.

"I don't know," replied Paul. "I guess a white boy ha