After a few strokes more, he stepped back from the foot of the tree to one side. Jonas wondered why he left his work before the tree fell. He looked up to the top of it, and he perceived that it was moving. It was bending over very slowly indeed. It moved, however, faster and faster, and presently began to come tearing down between the branches of the other trees, and, at length, descended with a mighty crash to the ground. Jonas thought that it was a very fine spectacle indeed. He wished that Oliver had been there to see it. Jonas then went to Mr. Woodman, and transacted his business successfully, according to the farmer's directions. Then he turned around, and began to walk back, as fast as he could go. "I am afraid," said he to himself, "that Oliver is almost out of patience waiting for me." [Illustration] CHAPTER X. A SURPRISE Jonas walked on until he came out of the woods, at the house where he had seen the boy cut wood. As he approached the place, he saw that the boy was there still; but there was a man with him. The man had a goad-stick in his hand. "He is driving a team somewhere," said Jonas to himself. "I wonder where his oxen are." A moment afterwards, Jonas came in sight of the oxen, which were in the road, having been hid from his view before, by the wood pile. The man and the boy looked at Jonas, as he walked towards them. The man smiled a little, as if he knew Jonas; but Jonas thought that he had never seen him before. "Well, Jonas," said the man, "did you find Mr. Woodman?" "Yes, sir," replied Jonas. He wondered how the man happened to know his name. "I'm glad of it," said he; "and you'd better make haste back. Rollo is almost tired of waiting for you." "Oliver, you mean," said Jonas. "No," said the man,--"Rollo; he said his name was Rollo." "Rollo?" said Jonas; "his name is Oliver. I don't see what made him tell you that his name was Rollo." So saying, Jonas walked thoughtfully away, wondering what this could mean. He had never known Oliver to do any such thing before. Oliver, he thought, would not tell a falsehood on any account. He was not inclined to say any thing of that kind by way of jest. He was a very sober and sedate, as well as honest boy. Besides, he could not think what should have put Rollo into Oliver's head. He did not recollect that he had said any thing of Rollo for a long time. In fact, he had seldom told Oliver any thing about him; and what could have induced him to call himself Rollo, he could not conceive. However, he had nothing to do but to go on, for the more he attempted to imagine some explanation of the mystery, the more he was puzzled. So he walked on as diligently as he could. He came, at length, in sight of the spot where he had left the horse and Oliver. The horse was there, but Oliver was not to be seen. "He has got tired of waiting, and has gone away," said Jonas; "or perhaps he is playing about near."