It is customary in new countries for the first comers to help themselves freely to the trees on government land, for logs with which to construct their cabins, and to rive into shingles and saw into boards; and many a sinewy oak had fallen before the frontiersman's axe in the woods near the Joneses, leaving the brawny limbs upon the ground. There were also many dead trees still standing, and from these sources dry, hard wood of the best quality could always be obtained. Tom directed operations. The limbs and small dead trees were thrown or dragged in piles a certain distance towards the field; from there another took them to the opening in the fence, and from thence others of the youngsters pulled them up to the house. The girls and boys had a merry time of it, Sarah making the woods ring with her bird-like voice as she sang at her task, while many a joke was exchanged by the lively little company. But no one of them entered on the labor with more zeal, and a higher appreciation of his own services, than Bub. "That child is always under foot," said Eliza, as she stumbled over him while tugging along a scrawny limb. "You ought to go into the house," said Tom; "I'm afraid you'll get hurt." "No, I won't," answered the child, "tause I dot to tarry in the wood;" and seizing a long branch under one dimpled arm, and a short, heavy one under the other, to make good his words, with the will of an older head, he started for the cabin. Out from under his arm would be wrenched the long one by some bush beside the path, and Bub would pick it up and pull at it until it had cleared itself, when down would go the big piece from the other arm. Then he would bravely lift it again, his baby frock going up with it; and thus dropping his load and picking it up, with an occasional tumble, which he would not cry about, he reached the house, dragging his load in through the door, to the imminent danger of knocking over the old stove. He now rested from his labors to eat a cold potato and a piece of his mother's much-loved corn-cake, which, while disposing of, he dropped asleep, his rosy cheeks crammed to their utmost capacity. "Pooh!" cried Charley, coming noisily in to see if dinner was most ready, "why didn't you keep to work, like the rest of us?" Bub resumed eating, and replied, dignifiedly,-- "Tause I found out that it wasn't fun." The unexpected effect of his answer on Charley, who received it with uproarious laughter, highly offended the child; and when Charley was out of sight, he said to his mother,-- "I isn't never going to work no more." "Ah, why not?" she inquired. "Tause I don't like to work." "Then," said she, "you'll never make a man." "Do men have to work?" he asked. "Certainly," she replied. "Then I won't be a man," he answered, decidedly. "Won't!" exclaimed his mother; "what, then, will you be?" "I sail be a missernary, and walk wound, and wear dold dlasses!" CHAPTER IX. A SURPRISE.