Camping With Old Ben 243 



the express wagon, and father drove us to 

 what was called the great woods. The latter 

 part of the journey had to be made through 

 pastures over an old wood road and I got out 

 and opened the gates or took down the bars 

 between the pastures. 



We arrived upon the outskirts of this wil- 

 derness, as it seemed to me, in the afternoon 

 and at once set to work on our camp. 



When we had unloaded our camp supplies, 

 and father and the old express wagon had 

 disappeared between the tree trunks, Ben 

 looked critically about us. 



" This isn't just an ideal camping spot," 

 he said, " but I guess it will have to do for 

 to-night. We haven't much time to look 

 about. We will just camp here to-night, and 

 to-morrow we can look around a bit. I'll put 

 up the tent, and you go and look for a spring. 



" I usually find the spring first and then 

 pitch the tent near it, but I haven't time to 

 look for one to-night so we will trust to luck. 



" See the top of those black ashes yonder, 

 you look over there. It is low ground, and 



