BOATS AND NETOITIHVRS. 



to now just get out their tackle and try their hands at 

 catching a supper for Iliis party, and a good one, too;" 

 and by this time Thompson had lifted himself heavily to 

 his feel, "I'm not selfish, these chaps may have the fun 

 of taking the lirst trout/' 



Wilkinson, like a merciful man, had seento.it, first of 

 all. that his I>e;is1s were unharnessed and hitched to the 

 hind wheels of his wagon and fed in the wagon box with ;i 

 bundle of hay and a supply of outs brought with him from 

 his burn ; and he now approached. 



'"Them boats, boys, are hid up in the woods. You ain't 

 never sure of finding a handy thin^ like a boat, up here, 

 when you want it, if you don't put it out of sight. Folks 

 don't exactly mean to steal, but they'll use 'em and don't' 

 always leave Vm just where they got 'em. My neighbors" 



"Neighbors! where on earth do your neighbors come 

 from, \\'ilUin-onv " 



Why. they're all around that is. 1 mean they're all 

 one side of me. that's a fact 'and the Highest of 'em is well 

 on to seven miles from me; and he ain't much of a nei-h 

 bor. to l>e sure, for he lives all alone, and he's one of your 

 darn mean, half squatter, half trapper and whole la/.y fel- 

 lows that ain'l one thing nor another. Then beyend him, 

 three miles further <>n. there's some more, and they're likely 

 folks, too, got families and work for a livin'. 1 tell you a 

 man's -j-nt to \\ <>rk -oine for a livin' and help some I ody else 

 to live, a wife and a chick or two, may be half a do/en of 

 >m, of his own, to be a lir-t elass neighbor, up here. 

 And my impression is it mayn't be worth much that a 



