broom, or the hickory for his axe handles, and never heeding such
nonsense as woodpeckers, and squirrels, and lilies, and moss, and
ferns; for Hector is not a giddy thing like his cousin Louis, or--"

"His sister Kate," interrupted Catharine merrily. "But when shall we
come to the Beaver Meadow?"

"Patience, ma belle, all in good time. Hark! was not that the ox-bell?
No; Hector whistling." And soon they heard the heavy stroke of his axe
ringing among the trees; for he had found the blue beech, and was
cutting it to leave on the path, that he might take it home on their
return: he had also marked some hickory of a nice size for his axe
handles, to bring home at some future time.

The children had walked several miles, and were not sorry to sit down
and rest till Hector joined them.

He was well pleased with his success, and declared he felt no fatigue.
"As soon as we reach the old Indian clearing, we shall find
strawberries," he said, "and a fresh cold spring, and then we will
have our dinner."

"Come, Hector,--come, Louis," said Catharine, jumping up, "I long to
be gathering the strawberries; and see, my flowers are faded, so I
will throw them away, and the basket shall be filled with fresh fruit
instead, and we must not forget petite Marie and sick Louise, or dear
Mathilde. Ah, how I wish she were here at this minute! But there is
the opening to the Beaver Meadow."

And the sunlight was seen streaming through the opening trees as they