CHAPTER II.
CLOSE TO NATURE.
The great forest belt, oak, ash, beech and maple, sweeps southwestward from New England through New York and trends westward and even to the north again till one sees the same landscape very nearly reproduced in Wisconsin wilds.

Not far from where its continuity is broken by the southern reach of Lake Huron was a clearing cut in the wood.

The land was rolling, and through the clearing ran a vigorous creek, already alder-fringed--for the alder follows the chopper swiftly--and glittering with countless minnows.

In the spring great pickerel came up, too, from the deep waters, miles away, to spawn and, sometimes, to be speared.

From either side of the creek the ground ascended somewhat, and on one bank stood a little house.