shanty, which was reached in good time without anything eventful
occurring on the way. They found the work of getting the logs down upon
the ice well nigh completed, and the foreman's return giving an impetus
to the men's exertions, it was finished in a few days more, and then
there was nothing to do but to await the breaking up of the ice.

They were not kept long in expectancy. The sun was now in full vigour;
before his burning rays the snow and ice fled in utter rout; and the
frost king, confessing defeat, withdrew his grasp from the Kippewa,
which, as if rejoicing in its release, went rippling and bounding merrily
on toward the great river beyond, bearing upon its bosom the many
thousand logs which represented the hard labour of Camp Kippewa during
the long cold winter months that were now past and gone. The most arduous
and exciting phase of the lumberman's life had begun, the great spring
drive, as they call it, and for weeks to come he would be engaged playing
the part of shepherd after a strange fashion, with huge, clumsy, unruly
logs for his flock, and the rushing river for the highway along which
they should be driven.

The shantymen were divided into two parties, one section taking the teams
and camp-belongings back to the depot, the other and much larger section
following the logs in their journey to the mills. Johnston put himself at
the head of the latter, and Frank, of course, accompanied him, for the
foreman was no less anxious to have him than the boy was to go. The bonds
of affection that bound the two were growing stronger every day they were
together. Frank regarded Johnston as the preserver of his life, and
Johnston, on his part, looked upon Frank as having been in God's hands
the means of bringing light and joy to his soul. It might be said,
without exaggeration, that either of them would risk his life in the
other's behalf with the utmost willingness.