And the swing and the freedom of it all! No office-
hours to keep; no boxes to nail up and roll out--nothing
but sweetness and cool draughts of fresh mountain-air,
and big trees that he wanted to get down
and hug; and jolly laughing brooks that ran out to
meet him and called to him as he trotted along, or
as the horses did, which was the same thing, he being
part of the team.

And the day! Had there ever been such another?
And the sky, too, filled with soft white clouds that
sailed away over his head--the little ones far in
advance and already crowding up the Notch, which
was getting nearer every hour.

And Marvin the driver--what a character he was
and how quaint his speech. And the cabins by the
road, with their trim fences and winter's wood piled
up so neatly under the sheds--all so different from
any which he had seen at the South and all so charming
and exhilarating.

Never had he been so happy!

And why not? Twenty-three and in perfect
health, without a care, and for the first time in all
his life doing what he wanted most to do, with
opportunities opening every hour for doing what he
believed he could do best.