This depot was simply a large farm set in the midst of a wilderness of
trees, and forming a centre from which some half-dozen shanties, or
lumber camps, placed at different distances in the depths of the
forest that stretched away interminably north, south, east, and west,
were supplied with all that was necessary for their maintenance. Besides
the ordinary farm buildings, there was another which served as a sort of
a shop or warehouse, being filled with a stock of axes, saws, blankets,
boots, beef, pork, tea, sugar, molasses, flour, and so forth, for the use
of the lumbermen. This was Mr. Stewart's headquarters, and as the tired
horses drew up before the door he tossed the reins over their backs,
saying,--

"Here we are, Frank. You'll stay here until your gang is made up.
To-morrow morning I'll introduce you to some of your mates."




CHAPTER IV.

THE BUILDING OF THE SHANTY.


Frank looked about him with quick curiosity, expecting to see some of the
men in whose society he was to spend the jointer. But there were only the
farm-hands lounging listlessly about, their days work being over, and
they had nothing to do except to smoke their pipes and wait for
nightfall, when they would lounge off to bed.