"I came, gentlefolks," said the hunter, after a few commonplace remarks had been exchanged,—"I came to see if you know what a 'bee' means?"
"A bee? what, honey-bees?" asked Mr. Elwood, in surprise at the oddness of the question.
"No, not a honey-bee, exactly, or a humble-bee, but a sort of work-meeting of men or women, to help a neighbor to husk his corn, for instance, build him a log house, or do off some other job for him in a day, which alone would take him perhaps weeks. These turn-outs we new settlers call 'bees.' Nothing is more common than for a man to get up a bee to knock off at once a pressing job he wants done. And, when a new-comer appears to be delicate about moving in the matter, the neighbors sometimes volunteer, and get up a bee for him, among themselves."
"I may have heard of the custom; but why do you say you came to ask me if I know any thing about it?"
"Well, I kinder thought I would. You have a pretty stiff-looking burnt piece here to be logged off soon, have you not?"
"Why, yes."
"And it would be a hard and heavy month's job for you and the young man to do it, would it not?"
"The best part of a month, perhaps; but I was intending to go at it in season, that we might get it all cleared and sown by the middle of September; which must be done, if I join you and the rest of the usual company in the fall trapping and hunting expedition."
"Of course you will join us. It is our main and almost only chance here of getting any money."
"So I have always understood, and therefore made up my mind to go into it, if I can get ready. I have been down the river to-day and engaged my seed wheat. To-morrow I thought of going abroad again, to try to engage some help for clearing the piece."