The Log House by the Lake | Page 9

and then there
will be all sorts of household work to attend to."
Sophy sided with Fanny, and Philip put an end to the discussion about
the dairy, by telling them that he had calculated on using up the planks
of the cottage for the flooring of part of the new house.
That building got on with wonderful rapidity. Day after day Mr
Lawrence D'Arcy came over with his man Terry, a faithful fellow, born
on his father's estate in Ireland, who had been his servant in the army
for several years. Philip had, for the purpose of economising heat and
saving roofing, resolved to make the house of two stories. The walls
were formed of horizontal logs; the upper part of each log was scooped
out so as to admit the round of the one above it to fit in, and the ends
were deeply notched for the logs forming the walls at a right angle to it.
A height sufficient for the ground floor chambers having been gained,
notches were cut and the rafters placed across. Shears were erected to
raise the higher logs, and shingles, which are thin split planks of fir,
formed the roof. The house stood on a platform to raise it above the
snow; the floor being thus some way from the ground. A verandah ran
round the whole building, affording a sheltered walk when the inmates
might not otherwise be able to get fresh air.

Had not the settlers been so strong handed, the work now accomplished
could not have been performed before the winter; but it was the fable of
the bundle of sticks exemplified. Such a building would not have been
attempted except for the sake of the ladies, as the settlers would have
employed all their strength in preparing the ground for cultivation. That
necessary proceeding was not however neglected, and six acres were
chopped and burnt off before the snow covered up the brushwood.
"Here we are, fairly settled in our log house," said Mr Ashton, as he
surveyed the result of his son's architectural skill. "Let us with grateful
hearts thank our Heavenly Father who has led us thus far in safety."
CHAPTER FIVE.
There were signs that the winter was about to begin. Snow-storms had
appeared from over the hill and swept across the lake. Ice had formed
around the edges in shallow pools, but the hot sun had come out and
completely thawed it. Often among the pine woods the heat was
excessive. Had it not been for the rich growing tints of the trees which
fringed the lake and covered its islets, it would have been difficult to
suppose that summer had passed away. There were the bright reds and
yellows of the maple, the pale straw-colour of the beech, the copper
hues of the oaks; and, indeed, Sophy found that she could exhaust all
the brightest colours of her paint-box, and yet not give sufficient
variety or brilliancy to portray correctly the gorgeous tints of the
landscape spread out before the window; nor was there blue to be found
equal to the blue of the lake, still less of the sky above it. She was glad
that she had finished her drawing in time, for a strong north wind
sprang up, and a sharp frost sent every leaf, pinched off, flying away,
and the next morning a few only hanging to dead boughs gave a
somewhat warm tinge to the otherwise dark green and dark brown
appearance of the lake shore.
"Excellent! it would give my dear people at home some idea of the
beauties we have out here," exclaimed D'Arcy, who happened to look
in the day Sophy had finished her sketch. "I should be so thankful if
you could make a copy for me; still more so if I might aspire to possess

the original."
"What could have made Sophy blush so just now?" said Charley to
Agnes, after D'Arcy had taken his leave. "There the dear thing stands
looking at the lake: what a wonder to see her doing nothing."
D'Arcy leaped gaily into his boat, hoisted the main-sail, a large one for
her size, cast off the painter, and hauling aft the main-sheet as she
paid-off with the fore-sail, waved an adieu to his friends on shore. The
lake sparkled brightly as miniature waves curled over its surface; faster
and faster the boat flew amid them, seeming to delight in her freedom.
The breeze freshened; a black cloud came up along the course of the
river from Lake Huron; it rushed across the sky, followed by others,
casting a shadow over the lake. A shriek from Sophy made Philip rush
out from his workshop, saw in hand, followed by Harry. The white sail
of D'Arcy's boat had disappeared, and a dark mass