We had the exhilarating sensation that we were beating a malicious enemy.

Every little while a long, cheery whoop of exultation would be raised and go echoing across the lake; and that last day of February we worked by the light of little bonfires of birch bark till near midnight.
Then we stopped--to clear the law.

And I may state here, although it must sound like a large story, that during those five working days the ten of us felled, sawed and rolled out on the ice two hundred and eighty-six cords of white-birch bolts.

Of course it was the saw and the two relieving spans of horses which did the greater part of the work, the four axmen doing little more than fell the tall birch-trees.
The next day, after a final breakfast of white monkey, we went home triumphant, leaving the bolts on the ice for the time being.

All were tired, but in high spirits, for victory was ours.
Two days later the old Squire came home from Three Rivers, entirely unaware of what had occurred, having it now in mind to organize and begin what he supposed would be a month's work up at the birch lot for the choppers and teams from the two logging-camps farther north.
Neither grandmother Ruth nor the rest of us could resist having a little fun with him.