102 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



fied until it was finished correctly. He was not 

 a worker for work's sake, as was Anderson, but 

 he was willing to put his shoulder to the wheel 

 for results. 



" Wait till I get my shoulder under it," was a 

 favorite expression with him, and I am frank to 

 say that when this conjunction took place there 

 was apt to be something doing. Thompson is 

 still at Four Oaks, and it will be a bad day for 

 the farm when he leaves. 



"Thompson," said I, "you are to be working 

 foreman out here, and I want you to put your 

 mind on the business and keep it there. I can- 

 not raise your wages, for I have a system ; but 

 you shall have $50 as a Christmas present if 

 things go well. Will you stay on these terms ? " 



" I will stay, all right, Dr. Williams, and I 

 will give the best I've got. I like the looks of 

 this place, and I want to see how you are going 

 to work it out." 



That being settled, I told Thompson of some 

 things that must be done during January and 

 February. 



" You must get out a great lot of wood, have 

 it sawed, and store it in the shed, more than 

 enough for a year's use. The wood should be 

 taken from that which is already down. Don't 

 cut any standing trees, even though they are 

 dead. Use all limbs that are large enough, but 

 pile the brushwood where it can be burned. 

 We must do wise forestry in these woods, and 



