We stayed four days in this wonderful spot, and I became fascinated with log-rolling. Even Vachel, with his ankle, hobbled after me and tried to do it too. We talked of political and literary log-rolling, log-rolling for one’s friends. “I’m all for it,” said the poet. “Log-rolling is a virtue.” Then he recounted to me the origin of the expression--log-rolling. “It is a Western term,” said the poet. “It also comes from the life of the pioneers. You know how it was; the settler chose the site of his log-cabin or of his new barn, and then went into the forest and felled the number of trees necessary, and he left them lying where they had fallen, and then called his friends together for a festive occasion. They all worked together for him, and rolled his logs to the most convenient spot where they could be piled to make his home. Of course he always gave his friends a luncheon first, and then they went off and rolled his logs home for him.” “And I like that,” said the poet. “No man can hope to do much in this world without the help of friends. And I for one would not want to.” Go to it then, ye log-rollers of the literary world, ye friends, we’ll lunch ye, we’ll give you, coffee with a kick of a mule in it, and fried corned-beef hash fit for the best friend of the Grand Vizier’s cook. And he, as you know, fares better than the Sultan himself. [Illustration] _Who rolled home Shakespeare’s logs? We did: we helped to do it. All the world has given a hand. Were they lunched first? Ah, I doubt it. But that was not Shakespeare’s fault, He was a jolly fellow!_ _N.B._--According to Frederick Dallenbaugh, writing to the _New York Post_, the real log-rolling commences after the logs have been brought to the site: “The foundation logs for the house having been duly notched and fixed in position, another tier is placed on top of them, and then another, and so on till the log wall is of the prescribed height. Now, it is obvious that it would be difficult to lift the logs up on to this growing wall. Primitive science then comes to the builder’s aid. Other logs are placed at an incline against those already established in their position and the logs that are to surmount the lower logs are rolled up the incline into place. “From this came the invitations sent out by the prospective builder to come to his log-rolling.” [Illustration: POOR ACTÆON PAYS * THE WOMAN NEVER PAYS] XXX. TOWARD THE KOOTENAI SUMMER began to give way to winter on the mountains. There were very cold nights, and frost. The full moon made the forest spacious, and the beautiful fir-trees, like candelabras, glittering with silver lights. The mornings were of an intense stillness as if ordained whilst God walked in the garden. We had stayed three days beside a grey rock wall which was eight feet high, and it began to have the light of home upon it, and one might have lived there long.