He put a log on behind, then placed the andirons up to the log, and a great forestick upon the andirons.  He placed the forestick so far out as to leave a considerable space between it and the backlog, and then he put the coals up into this space,—­having first put in a slender stick, resting upon the andirons, to keep the coals from falling through.  He then placed on a great deal more wood, and he soon had a roaring fire, which crackled loud, and blazed up into the chimney.

“Now for my lantern,” said Jonas.

So saying, he took down a lantern, which hung by the side of the fire.  The lantern was made of tin, with holes punched through it on all sides, so as to allow the light to shine through; and yet the holes were not large enough to admit the wind, to blow out the light.

Jonas opened the lantern, and took out a short candle from the socket within.  Just as he was lighting it, the door opened, and Amos came in.

“Ah, Jonas,” said he, “you are before me, as usual.”

“Why, the youngest hand makes the fire, of course,” said Jonas.

“Then it ought to be Oliver,” said Amos,—­“or else Josey.”

“There!  I promised to wake Oliver up,” said Jonas.

“O, he’s awake; and he and Josey are coming down.  They have found out that there is snow on the ground.”

“Is there much snow?” asked Jonas.

“I don’t know,” said Amos; “the ground seems pretty well covered.  If there is enough to make sledding, you are going after wood to-day.”

“And what are you going to do?” said Jonas.

“I am going up among the pines to get out the barn frame, I believe.”

Here a door opened, and Oliver came in, followed by Josey shivering with the cold, and in great haste to get to the fire.

“Didn’t your father say,” said Amos to Oliver, “that he was going with me to-day, to get out the timber for the barn frame?”

“Yes,” said Oliver, “he is going to build a great barn next summer.  But I’m going up into the woods with Jonas, to haul wood.  There’s plenty of snow.”

“I’d go too,” said Josey, “if it wasn’t so cold.”

“It won’t be cold in the woods,” said Jonas.  “There’s no wind in the woods.”

While they had been talking thus, Jonas had got his lantern ready, and had gone to the door, and stood there a minute, ready to go out.

“Jonas,” said Josey, “are you going out into the barn?”

“Yes,” said Jonas.

“Wait a minute, then, for me, just till I put on my other boot.”

Jonas waited a minute, according to Josey’s request, and then they all went out together.

They found the snow pretty deep, all over the yard, but they waded through it to the barn.  They had to go through a gate, which led them into the barn-yard.  From the barn-yard they entered the barn itself, by a small door near one corner.