At length, however, when be had wandered about a mile distant from the
Wolf Ravine, he discovered a place, where the bank had about six feet
elevation, and sloped down gradually to the river.

Here he paused, and with a small vessel, descended to the stream,
muttering to himself as he did so:

'Why didn't I think and put a pumping arrangement to the machine? I
could have done it as well as not, and it would have saved me a good
deal of trouble.'

But regrets were now unavailing, and he lost no time in useless
lamentations, setting to work at once. It was tedious labor, carrying
up the water in a small vessel, and emptying it in the tank, but he
persevered, and at the end of a couple of hours the task was
completed.

'I can make the wood stand me another day,' he added, as be stood
looking at the greatly diminished pile'although, if I knew where to
get it, I would load up now, and then I should be prepared'

He suddenly paused, for scarcely a dozen yards away, coming up the
margin of the river, straight toward him, he descried the figure of a
man fully six feet and a half high.

Young Brainerd's first impulse was to spring into the wagon and start
away at full speed; but a second glance showed him that it was not an
Indian, but a white man, in the garb of a hunter.

'Hullo, boss, thar, what yer doin'?'