“Boys, this is my friend, Bill Lang. Bill, I’ve picked up a couple of ‘pards’ since you were here. Shake hands with Ed Williams and George Rand, young friends of mine from the city. They’re here to learn something about the woods.”
“That’s not the son of Doctor Williams, who comes out here to hunt and fish, is it?” inquired the trapper, looking at Ed searchingly.
“That’s just who he is,” responded the guide.
“Well, if he takes after the ‘old man’ he ought to be all right,” declared the new-comer, as he picked up the basin and retired outside to wash.
“Prospecting for a trap line?” inquired Ben of the trapper, when they were at supper.
“Yes, sort of looking the country over a little bit,” he replied. “So you’re going to cut a bee-tree, are you? Well, I said to myself, to-day, that the bees ought to work good. How far from here is it?”
“Not more than a scant mile,” Ben assured him. “We got another line, too, but couldn’t stop to bother with it. Better stay over and take some of the honey; there’s likely to be more than we’ll need.”
“Why, like as not I will,” agreed the trapper, much to the delight of the boys.
As soon as it was dark they started off for the tree. Ben went ahead with the lantern, the torches, and an ax; George came next, carrying a dish-pan and a large iron spoon; then Ed followed with a pail; and the trapper brought up the rear with his ax and another pail.
Although the stars shone brightly overhead, it was very dark in the woods. The boys, unaccustomed to such travel, stumbled and fell many times before they brought up at the tree. The lantern was immediately concealed behind a rock, so its glare would not attract the bees. Then, cautioning Ed and George to tie their handkerchiefs about their faces, the guide and his friend prepared to fell the tree.