keeping the water-barrels filled became one of serious magnitude. But
bracing himself to meet his growing burdens, he toiled away cheerfully,
resisting every temptation to grumble, his clear tuneful whistling of the
sacred airs in vogue at Calumet making Baptiste, who had a quick ear for
music, so familiar with "Rock of Ages," "Abide with Me," "Nearer, my God,
to Thee," and other melodies, which have surely strayed down to us from
heaven, that unconsciously he took to whistling them himself, much to
Frank's amusement and approval.

The days were very much alike. At early dawn, before it was yet light
enough to see clearly, Johnston would emerge from his corner, and, in
stentorian tones whose meaning was not to be mistaken, shout to the
sleeping men scattered along the rows of sloping bunks.

"Up with ye, men! up with ye!" And with many a growl and grunt they
would, one by one, unroll from their blankets. As their only preparation
for bed had been to lay aside their coats and boots or moccasins, the
morning toilet did not consume much time. A dash of cold water as an
eye-opener, a tugging on of boots or lacing up of moccasins, a scrambling
into coats, and that was the sum of it. The only brush and comb in the
camp belonged to Frank, and he felt half ashamed to use them, because no
one else thought such articles necessary.

Breakfast hurriedly disposed of, all but Baptiste and Frank sallied forth
into the snow, to be seen no more until mid-day. There were just fifty
persons, all told, in the camp, each man having his definite work to do
the carpenter, whose business it was to keep the sleighs in repair; the
teamsters, who directed the hauling of the logs; the "sled-tenders," who
saw that the loads were well put on; the "head chopper" and his
assistants, whose was the laborious yet fascinating task of felling the