“Ah!” exclaimed John Strout, the skipper of the Perseverance, “who was it took care of me when I had the smallpox in Jacmel, and everybody else, even my own relation, run away from me?”
“Well,” replied Ben, whose modesty revolted at such a display of his virtues, “I didn’t do any more than my duty.”
“That’s just what we’re going to do,” replied Seth.
“And that’s where you’re right,” said Uncle Isaac, putting on his hat. “Come on, boys; if you’re so anxious to work, I’ll give you enough of it to start the grease out of you.”
“Let you alone for that, uncle,” said a voice from the crowd.
“Who’s that? As I’m alive it’s my nephew, Sam Atkins. Where did you drop from, Sam?”
“Why, you see, uncle, we were waiting for timber at Newburyport, that is to come in a vessel; and as Jacob Colcord was coming down in his schooner, I thought it would be a good time to make a visit home.”
“You couldn’t have done a better thing; you’re just the boy I want. Now, Master Hunt, if you’ll be good enough to line these timbers for these boys to hew, I’ll be doing something else.”
Sam Atkins, who was well assured his uncle would not overlook his capabilities, sat on a log whittling. After he had set all the rest to work, Uncle Isaac came to him, and laying his hand upon his shoulder, said, “Sam, I’ve got a nice job for you; I want you to frame the roof; you’ll find tools in my tool-chest. There are the rafters, and they will have the ridge-pole and purlins hewed by the time you will want them.”
As soon as a good number of sticks were hewed, they began to roll them up, while Uncle Isaac, Joe Griffin, and two of the ship carpenters, cut the dovetails. By twelve o’clock they had the timber for the walls hewed, and the walls raised to the chamber, and the beams and sleepers for the chamber floor hewed, and Sam and his crew had the roof framed.