He began to undo his pack while the little company stood around him.

“Gentlemen, you can see but you can not buy.  Only my frient can have dem goods,” he went on glibly as he removed the cover of the pack.

Suddenly there was a lively stir in it.  To the amazement of all a beautiful girl threw aside the ticking and leaped out of the large wicker basket it had covered.  With a merry laugh she threw her arms around Jack Kelso’s neck and kissed him.

The men clapped their hands in noisy merriment.

“That’s like Bim, isn’t it?” said the Doctor.

“Exactly!” Abe exclaimed.

“I stop at David Barney’s an’ dere she took de goods out o’ my pack an’ fix up dis job lot fer you,” said Eli with a laugh.

“A real surprise party!” the girl exclaimed.

She was a small sized girl, nearing sixteen, with red cheeks and hazel eyes and blonde hair that fell in curls upon her shoulders.

“Mr. Traylor, this is my daughter Bim,” said Kelso.  “She is skilled in the art of producing astonishment.”

“She must have heard of that handsome boy at the tavern and got in a hurry to come home,” said the Doctor.

“Ann Rutledge says that he is a right purty boy,” the girl laughed as she brushed her curls aside.

She turned to Samson Traylor and asked wistfully, “Do you suppose he would play with me?”

CHAPTER IV

Which presents other log cabin folk and the first steps in the making of A new home and certain capacities and Incapacities of Abe.

Next morning at daylight two parties went out in the woods to cut timber for the home of the newcomers.  In one party were Harry Needles carrying two axes and a well filled luncheon pail; Samson with a saw in his hand and the boy Joe on his back; Abe with saw and axe and a small jug of root beer and a book tied in a big red handkerchief and slung around his neck.  When they reached the woods Abe cut a pole for the small boy and carried him on his shoulder to the creek and said: 

“Now you sit down here and keep order in this little frog city.  If you hear a frog say anything improper you fetch him a whack.  Don’t allow any nonsense.  We’ll make you Mayor of Frog City.”

The men fell to with axes and saws while Harry limbed the logs and looked after the Mayor.  Their huge muscles flung the sharp axes into the timber and gnawed through it with the saw.  Many big trees fell before noon time when they stopped for luncheon.  While they were eating Abe said: 

“I reckon we better saw out a few boards this afternoon.  Need ’em for the doors.  We’ll tote a couple of logs up on the side o’ that knoll, put ’em on skids an’ whip ’em up into boards with the saw.”