And here it may be said that in the Maine woods a winter is supposed to mean the snowy season from November till April.
Meanwhile other ventures were pressing.

In company with a Canadian partner, the old Squire was then getting spruce lumber down the St.
Maurice River at Three Rivers, in the Province of Quebec.

This New York birch contract was deferred a year, the plan being finally to get off the birch in March of the second winter, when the crews and teams from two other lumber-camps could conveniently be sent to the lake, and make a quick job of it.
But in December of that second winter John Lurvey died suddenly of pneumonia.

His property passed into the hands of his wife, who was by no means easy-going.

She overhauled this note-book agreement, took legal advice of a sharp lawyer, and on February 21st sent us legal notification that the agreement would expire on February 28th, the last day of winter, according to the calendar.