Roy was a little surprised to hear Uncle Henry speak like that, but he
was too brave to change his mind about going.

"There must be a lot of fun," he said, "and it's manly to do hard
things."

Uncle Henry nodded.

"So 'tis! That's more real fun than playing at easy ones! If your folks
are willing, get ready to start for the sugaring with me to-morrow
morning. The yoke your father used when he was a boy is hanging up in
the shop, and I guess your shoulders have grown broad enough to hold it
on!" laughed Uncle Henry.

The very next morning they started for the sugar camp far up on the side
of the mountain, and long before noontime they had built a fire in the
log shack, and Roy was out in the woods helping Uncle Henry tap the
maple trees.

Every minute after that was a busy one. The nights were crisp with
frost, and the days were full of spring sunshine. For hours and hours
each day Roy trudged through the snow wearing on his shoulders the yoke
which had a pail hanging from either end, and after each trip into the
woods he would turn two brimming pails of sap into the big kettle
boiling over the fire.

[Illustration: After each trip into the woods Roy would turn two
brimming pails of sap into the big kettle.]

Sometimes his legs ached, and he got tired tramping through the snow,