ice melted and we were soon all rolling and pitching 

 about in the lake. We were joined by many hund- 

 reds more which had been laid on the ice of a little 

 river running into the lake and floated down when 

 the spring freshet came. Presently a little puffing 

 tug came and we were all towed across a part of the 

 lake to a big saw-mill. The men who brought 

 the logs down the river and who placed us in booms 

 to be towed by the little tug were called 'river-drivers' 

 and a jolly, lively set they were. They could walk 

 on a log rolling in the water as easily as another 

 man could walk along that log when lying on the 

 solid ice. Everywhere I have been we trees that 

 were cut down have always been providing work 

 for busy, happy men ; and for this work they received 

 wages which provided food and clothing for their 

 families, their wives, and their boys and girls." 



"Well!" said the Stove rather defiantly, "however 

 much you trees are needed above ground, and how- 

 ever much prosperity you may bring there, you are 

 not needed underground. The mines can get on 

 without you." 



"Not at all" said the White Spruce warmly. 

 "Every ton of iron ore that is mined requires half a 

 cubic foot of wood for props and every ton of coal 

 requires nearly one and a quarter cubic feet for 

 props. So you see, Mr. Stove, if my brothers had 

 not gone down into the dark mine you never could 

 have come up to daylight." 



"Don't let us interrupt White Pine," said the 

 Stove, anxious to change the subject. 



"When we reached the saw-mill," resumed the 

 White Pine, "we were quickly sawn up into boards, 

 and after we had seasoned one winter in great piles 



