"There was a team went down here five years ago,--jist off that maple-tree there,--horse, wagin, and all, an'clock two men, brothers they was, too; one man hung onto a branch or suthin'clock, and was ketched and saved; t'other one got crushed to jelly.

It was a terrible dark night." Even Gypsy gave a little shiver during this entertaining conversation, and was glad they had come up in the daytime.
Mr.Surly drove to a certain by-road in the woods, where he left them, and returned home; and the party proceeded on foot, with their baggage, to the place Mr.Hallam had chosen as a camp-ground.
It was a pleasant spot, far enough in the woods to be still and wild, near enough to the little settlement on top of the mountain to be free from bears, as Sarah had required to be informed ten separate times, on the way.

There was a little, natural clearing among the trees, which Mr.
Hallam and Tom made larger by cutting down the shrubbery and saplings.
They had brought hatchets with them, as well as guns, knives, and fish-hooks.

It seemed very warlike and real, Gypsy thought--quite as if they intended to spend the rest of their lives there.

She almost wished a party of Indians would come and attack them, or a bear or a wolf.
Having selected a smooth, level spot for the tents, Mr.Hallam thought they had better put them up immediately.