18 FORT Y-FO U R Y K A RS OF 



At this time I had an aunt living near, who was alwaya 

 teasing mother to let me stay with her for company for 

 her, as she had no children. And at last mother yielded^ 

 and let me go with her; and I staid one summer with 

 her and her husband, whose name was John Spurgin 

 He was a good-natured, kind man, but neglectful, lazy, 

 and unlearned : they made it their aim to seduce me from 

 my mother's love and from my home, and take up my 

 home with them ; but took good care not to let mother 

 get the least knowledge of their interested design. 



They had me so well into their scheme, that I was 

 ready for any movement they might wish me to undertake. 

 So, in September, they had all things in readiness, and 

 a young man to assist in driving their cattle and horses : 

 they then proposed to me to go with them into the 

 prettiest country in the world ; and that I should be their 

 adopted son, and all the cattle and horses we could raise 

 should be mine ; and that I could stand in the door and 

 see the pretty deer sporting and playing in the glades ; 

 and as soon as I was big enough to shoot, I should have 

 a nice rifle to shoot those deer. 



Fired with such prospects of sport, I was ready and 

 willing to undertake the journey forthwith. I was put to 

 bed, and told to go to sleep, and they would wake me 

 before day, and take an early start, so that my mother 

 should have no chance of stopping me. Sure enough, I 

 was awakened a long time before day-light; all was ready 

 for a move, with three horses loaded, and the young man 

 Boon had the cattle ready to follow the horses. I was put 

 on one horse, my aunt on another, and uncle drove the 

 third ; aunt in the lead. Off we went, as still as possible, 

 that our movements should not be known to my mother 

 until we would be sufficiently out of her power. On we 

 went, without noise, over the mountains towards Cum- 

 oerland ; and, as the sun began to show its Ijeautiful 



