d near the brow of the hill east of Rutledge's Tavern. When
they entered it Abe lay at full length on the counter, his head resting
on a bolt of blue denim as he studied a book in his hand. He wore the
same shirt and one suspender and linsey trousers which he had worn in
the dooryard of the tavern, but his feet were covered only by his blue
yarn socks.

Abe laid aside his book and rose to a sitting posture.

"Mr. Traylor," said Doctor Allen, "has just acquired an interest in all
our institutions. He has bought the Gollaher tract and is going to build
a house and some fences. Abe, couldn't you help get the timber out in a
hurry so we can have a raising within a week? You know the art of the ax
better than any of us."

Abe looked at Samson.

"I reckon he and I would make a good team with the ax," he said. "He
looks as if he could push a house down with one hand and build it up
with the other. You can bet I'll be glad to help in any way I can."

Next morning at daylight two parties went out in the woods to cut timber
for the home of the newcomers. In one party were Harry Needles carrying
two axes and a well-filled luncheon pail; Samson with a saw in his hand
and the boy Joe on his back; Abe with saw and ax and a small jug of root
beer and a book tied in a big red handkerchief and slung around his
neck. When they reached the woods Abe cut a pole for the small boy and
carried him on his shoulder to the creek and said:

"Now you sit down here and keep order in this little frog city. If you
hear a frog say anything improper you fetch him a whack. Don't allow any
nonsense. We'll make you Mayor of Frog City."

The men fell to with axes and saws while Harry limbed the logs and
looked after the Mayor. Their huge muscles flung the sharp axes into the
timber and gnawed through it with a saw. Many big trees fell before
noontime when they stopped for luncheon. While they were eating Abe
said:

"I reckon we better saw out a few boards this afternoon. Need 'em for
the doors. We'll tote a couple of logs up on the side o' that knoll, put
'em on skids an' whip 'em up into boards with the saw."

Samson took hold of the middle of one of the logs and raised it from the
ground.

"I guess we can carry 'em," he said.

"Can ye shoulder it?" Abe asked.

"Easy," said Samson as he raised an end of the log, stepped beneath it
and, resting its weight on his back, soon got his shoulder near its
center and swung it clear of the ground and