The woods behind rang with the
resounding discords of axes and saws and crashing timber, and new
cabins appeared on every hand, rising in a day. The sluggish air was
noisy with voices, and the edge of the forest receded gradually before
the busy pioneers, replacing the tall timbers with little, high-banked
homes of spruce and white-papered birch. From dawn till dark arose the
rhythmic rasp of men whip-sawing floor lumber to the tune of two
hundred dollars per thousand; and with the second steamer came a little
steam sawmill, which raised its shrill complaint within a week,
punctuating the busy day with its piping whistle.

The trail along the Flambeau, was dotted continuously with toiling
human beasts of burden, that floundered laboriously beneath great packs
of provisions and tools and other baggage, winding like an endless
stream of ants through the hills to "No Creek" Lee Creek, where they
re-enacted the scenes that were occurring in the town. Tents and cabins
were scattered throughout the length of the valley, lumber was sawed
for sluice-boxes, and the virginal breezes that had sucked through this
seam in the mountains since days primeval came to smell of spruce fires
and echo with the sounds of life.

A dozen tents were pitched on Lee's discovery claim, for the owner had
been besieged by men who clamored to lease a part of his ground, and,
yielding finally, he had allotted to each of them a hundred feet.
Forth-with they set about opening their portions, for the ground was
shallow, and the gold so near the surface that winter would interfere
with its extraction; wherefore, they made haste. The owner oversaw them
all, complacent in the certainty of a steady royalty accruing from the
working of his allotments.

Every day there came into Flambeau exaggerated reports of new strikes
in other spots, of strong indications and of rich prospects elsewhere.
Stories grew out of nothing, until the camp took an hysterical pleasure
in exciting itself and deceiving every stranger who came from north or
south, for the wine of discovery was in them all, and it pleased them
to distort and enlarge upon every rumor that came their way, such being
the temper of new gold-fields. They knew they were lying, and that all
other men were lying also, and yet they hearkened to each tale and
almost deceived themselves.

Burrell sought Necia at an early day and, in presence of her father,
told her that he had been approached by men who wishe