138 DEATH OF THE ' OLD MAN/ 



had I to adopt this plan, till at length I came in 

 sight of our log-hut, where my companions were 

 busy with their respective evening duties. 



' Their familiar voices and the cheery click of 

 their axes broke most welcomely on my ear, the 

 assurance that in a few moments more help would 

 be at hand imparting fresh strength to my almost 

 exhausted frame. The skulking scoundrels, how- 

 ever, knew that they were beaten, for they halted, 

 gave utterance to a few howls of disappointment, 

 then slowly crossed to the river, and entered a 

 neighbouring dense cedar-swamp. It was as narrow 

 an escape as I ever wish to have a narrower one I 

 could not even wish my foes. 



' Perhaps a year or so after that I lost the old 

 man, who from age had become much impaired in 

 activity. In trying to shift a log his handspike 

 broke, and the stick of timber rolling back crushed 

 him to death. 



' Game ceased to be plenty in Maine not that 

 the State was becoming much more thickly settled, 

 but strangers would come from far and near to hunt 

 it. The timber business, too, got bad, for timber 

 fell to one half its former price ; and as I had 

 no folks remaining of my own blood, I made up 

 my mind to come out West, where I had heard 

 that deer, and even buffalo, were to be had for the 

 seeking. 



c The rich often think that, in comparison with 

 themselves, the poor and unlettered have no delicacy 



