squealing a protest against its load, which consisted of the five lads,
together with knapsacks, guns, tents, and the camp duffle.

"Forward, all!" shouted Dr. Phil, who had been chosen to act as captain
of the two companies during the few days while they journeyed together.

Lin, who was charioteer, cracked a long whip above his horses. The boys
cheered, while Doc, Cyrus, and the two guides fell behind, choosing to
follow the wagon on foot for the first few miles of the journey.

"Where did you buy that, Lin?" asked Neal, climbing over to a perch
beside the driver, and pointing to a heavy Colt's revolver which the
young settler was buckling round his waist.

"Didn't buy it. I traded a calf for it at Greenville more'n a year ago,"
was the reply. "Fust-rate gun it is, too, I vum! I've stood at our
cabin-door, and killed many a buck with it. On'y 'tain't much good for
tackling a bear. Wish't the bears ud get as scarce as the panthers! Then
we'd be rid o' two master pests. Hello! Don't y'u git to tumbling out
jist yet! That's on'y a circumstance to the jolts there'll be when we
strike a bit o' corduroy road."

Lin Hathaway grabbed young Farrar by the elbow while he spoke, and held
him steady with the horny hand which had swung the axe against the
doomed pine-tree. For Neal had shown a sudden inclination to pitch
headlong out of the wagon, as its right wheels were hoisted a foot or
more above the left ones by rolling over a mossy bump in the ground.

For the first five miles the forest road had been simply constructed
thus: First, the bushy undergrowth had been cut away and thrown to one