“Then, we must go at it, if we’d see the end soon.”

“Yes; and hard work, too, it will be.” And, without wasting time or breath on words, they proceeded to cut a road before them.

“I’ve cut through miles of just such a wilderness as this,” said Posey; “and I shouldn’t be surprised if we had to cut a road half the way.”

“I hope not,” answered Lincoln. “If I thought so, I should almost wish myself back in Kentucky.”

“Should, hey?”

“Yes; it would be an everlasting job to cut through to where I am goin’.”

“Well, I don’t suppose it will be as tough as this much of the way, but bad enough, no doubt.”

So with the resolution of veteran pioneers they toiled on, sometimes being able to pick their way for a long distance without chopping, and then coming to a stand-still in consequence of dense forests. Suffice to say that they were obliged to cut a road so much of the way that several days were employed in going eighteen miles. It was a difficult, wearisome, trying journey, and Mr. Lincoln often said that he never passed through a harder experience than he did in going from Thompson’s Ferry to Spencer County, Indiana.

Some two or three miles south of their place of destination they passed the cabin of a hospitable settler, who gave them a hearty welcome, and such refreshments as his humble abode contained. He was well acquainted with all that region, too, and suggested to Mr. Lincoln the spot upon which he decided to erect his cabin, and also volunteered to accompany them thither.

The settlers at that day delighted to see others coming to their vicinity to dwell, thus increasing their neighbours, and removing somewhat the loneliness of pioneer life. They were ever ready to lend a helping hand to new-comers, and to share with them the scanty blessings that Providence allowed them.

Mr. Lincoln was glad to reach the end of his journey; and he found the spot suggested by his new friend in the cabin, whose name was Wood, a very inviting one.

“Better than I expected,” said Lincoln. “I wouldn’t ask for a better place than this.”

“I’ve had my eye on it some time,” replied Wood.

“Chance for more settlers, though,” continued Lincoln.

‘One cabin in eighteen miles ain’t very thick.”

“That’s so,” added Posey. “There’s elbow-room for a few more families, and it won’t be long before they’ll be here.”

“But you’ve neighbours nearer than that,” said Wood. “There’s one family not more than two miles east of here.”

“Then I shall have two neighbours,” said Lincoln.

“And there are two other families within six or eight miles,—one of them is north, and the other west,” continued Wood. “The fact is, people are flockin’ into this free State fast.”

We must not dwell. Posey returned with his team to Thompson’s Ferry, and Mr. Lincoln, having deposited his goods, and secured Mr. Wood’s promise to look after them, directed his steps on foot back to his