“We can’t stay here for the water to fall, that’s certain,” continued Abraham, “and as to finding a better place to cross, I don’t believe we can, if we go around twenty miles.”

“And that would take time, too,” suggested his father.

“Yes, and I am for going right along. I will go forward; and if I go under, the rest of you may take warning.” This remark was made rather in a strain of pleasantry, to inspire all hearts around him with courage. “Come, Dennis, what do you say? Will you follow me?”

“Of course; I can go where you can.”

It was settled to go forward, turning neither to the right hand nor left. And for three miles Abraham drove his team through water that was up to his waist, urging his oxen along, and cheering the hearts of the company with words of encouragement. Mr. Lamon says, “In crossing the swollen and tumultuous Kaskaskia the wagon and oxen were nearly swept away.” But Abraham’s pluck and energy overcame the difficulty, and, on the first day of March, 1830, they arrived at John Hanks’ house, four miles north-west of Decatur. What kind of a cabin Uncle John possessed we do not know, but the advent of thirteen visitors must have fully occupied all the spare room in it. But squeezing the largest number of persons into the smallest space was incidental to pioneer life.

“I’ve fixed on the spot for you to settle,” said Uncle John to Mr. Lincoln, “and there’s a lot of logs there for a cabin, which I cut last year.”

“How far away is it?” inquired Mr. Lincoln.

“Only a few miles; and it will be a short job to put up a cabin, now the logs are all ready; and you are welcome to them.”

“Well, that is a great lift,” replied Mr. Lincoln; “with the logs all cut, Abe, Dennis, and I will make short work of building a shelter.”

“And my help, too,” added Uncle John; “nothin’ to do now but to get you fixed.”

“I’m going to have a better house than we had in Indiana,” chimed in Abraham, who was listening to the conversation. “Hewed logs, and less mud.”

“I’ll second that project,” interjected his mother. “A little more labour and expense upon a habitation will increase comforts tenfold.”

The subject of a log-house was thus discussed, and the following day Mr. Lincoln, Uncle John, Abraham, and Dennis repaired to the location selected to investigate. It was on the north side of Sangamon River, about ten miles west of Decatur, and perhaps six miles, in a straight line, from Uncle John’s cabin. All were delighted with the location, mainly because it was at the junction of the timber and prairie lands, and was well supplied with water.

Short work was made in erecting the best log-house the Lincoln family ever occupied. Abraham took charge of the work, because he was determined to have as good a house for his parents as could be built of logs. There was a good supply of material that Uncle John had prepared, from which Abraham selected the best logs, every one of which was carefully hewn, though the only tools they had to work with were a common axe, a broad-axe, a hand-saw, and a “drawer-knife.”

After the cabin was built, a smoke-house and stable were erected near by. The doors and floor of the cabin were made of puncheon, and the gable-ends of the structure boarded up with plank “rived” by Abraham’s hand out of oak timber. The nails used—and they were very few—were all brought from their old home in Indiana.¹