"Are you going to mill?" said Josey.

"Yes, I or somebody else. I am getting a grist ready."

"Here comes uncle," said Josey; "I mean to ask him to let me go."

The farmer came in, and told Jonas that he expected that they were going
to have a snow-storm, and, therefore, as soon as his grist was ready, he
might harness a horse into the sleigh, and drive directly to mill.

"Then," said he, "you may come directly back, and not wait to have it
ground; for I want you to go up to the woods this afternoon, and bring
down a load of small spruces, which I cut for rafters. I want them down
before the road gets blocked up with snow."

The farmer had reflected that, about this time in the winter, they were
generally exposed to long and driving snow-storms, by which the roads
were often blocked up. He usually endeavored to get all out of the woods
which he had to get, early in the season, while the snow was not deep.
He had now got down all his wood, and all his timber, except one or two
loads of rafters; and he wished, therefore, to get those down, so that,
in case of a severe storm, he would not have to break out the road
again.

Jonas accordingly despatched his preparations for going to mill, as
rapidly as possible, and soon was ready. In driving out, he stopped
opposite the place where the farmer was at work upon his frame.

"All ready, I believe, sir," said Jonas.