THE LONG TRAIL 



only one of us ever took to sailing, and but 

 two to fishing. 



After we had all grown up and gone 

 out into the world we would try to gather 

 at Sagamore for Christmas, and then 

 there would be a scurrying about to secure 

 the sharpest of axes, and we would troop 

 down with Father in the snow to some cor- 

 ner of the woods that needed thinning. 

 Those who early tired of the chopping 

 would, with the grandchildren's aid, col- 

 lect branches and deadwood for a bonfire, 

 and, after it was started, Father would 

 leave his chopping and join us in heaping 

 on the brushwood. 



Until father sold his ranches in North 

 Dakota he used to go out West each year 

 for a month or so. Unfortunately, we 

 were none of us old enough to be taken 

 along, but we would wait eagerly for his 

 letters, and the recipient of what we called 



17 



