[ CHAPTER XIII.
GETTING WELL. ]
Hunger—An evil suggestion—First visit down stairs—Midnight supper—Weakness and exhaustion—An ill turn—The doctor's visit—The mystery explained—Contents of a sick boy's stomach—The doctor's abrupt farewell—His recall—Promise of obedience—Punishment for imprudence—Directions—Effects of the relapse—Slow recovery—The menagerie procession—A wet morning—Disobedience—Exposure, and its consequences—Reading—The borrowed book—The curious letter—Puzzles, with illustrations—Guessing riddles—Oscar's treatment of Benjamin—His present feelings towards him—Ella's copy of the letter—Oscar's growing impatience—An arrival—Uncle John—The loggers—Cousins never seen—A journey decided upon—Solution of riddles, conundrums, &c.
[ CHAPTER XIV.
THE JOURNEY. ]
Setting out—A long and wearisome ride—Portland—The hotel—Going to bed—The queer little lamp—Lonesomeness—The evening prayer—Morning—Breakfast—The railroad depôt—Oscar's partiality for stage-coaches and good horses—Eighty miles by steam—Dinner—The stage-coach—An outside seat—The team and the roads—Villages—Mail bags—Forests and rivers—End of the stage ride—Jerry—An Introduction—A ride in a wagon—Bashfulness—An invisible village—The journey's end—Mrs. Preston—More shy cousins—Supper—Evening employments—Attempting to "scrape acquaintance"—Mary tells Oscar his name—More questions—The tables turned—Getting acquainted in bed.
[ CHAPTER XV.
BROOKDALE. ]
A dull morning—New acquaintances—Inquiries about Jerry's school-time—A long vacation—Work—Playmates—Rain—A fine sunrise—The distant pond—A call to breakfast—Preliminary operations—Jerry's uncombed head—Oscar's neatness—Jerry sent from the table—Bad manners—Bathing in the pond—An anticipated pleasure interdicted—The river—A walk—The pond—Map of Brookdale—Going to ride—The Cross-Roads—Billy's speed discussed—The variety store—All sorts of things—Oscar's purchase—Returning home—Short evenings—A nap—A queer dream—Oscar's smartness at dreaming—Making fun of a country store—Mary's question—Crying babies—Teasing—Walking backwards—A trip and a fall—A real crying baby—Mary comforted—Jerry cuffed—Mortification.
[ CHAPTER XVI.
IN THE WOODS. ]
Forgotten medicine and renewed health—An excursion planned—A gun wanted, but denied—Setting out on a long tramp—Swamps—Upland—Brooks—How Brookdale got its name—Cutting canes—Birch and beech—How to crook the handle of a cane—The philosophy of it explained—The cigars—Fine groves—Stopping to rest—The forest described—Birds and guns—Other game—Jim Oakley's strange animal—Moose—The man who met a bear—A race—Mysterious disappearance of the bear—The probable cause of his visit—The boy who killed two bears—Oscar's courage—Prospect Rock—A fine view—The rabbit—The woodchuck's hole—Crossing a swamp—Mosquitoes—The pond—The hermit's hut—Some account of "Old Staples"—Buried treasures—Making a fire—Baking potatoes and toasting cheese—Drinking pond water—Dinner—Hunting for the hermit's money—What they meant to do with it—A bath proposed—Smoothing over the matter—Going Into water—Drying their hair—Going home—Lost In the woods—Arrival home—One kind of punishment for wrong-doing.
[ CHAPTER XVII.
CLINTON. ]
The missing cap—Splitting wood—Jerry and Emily—A quarrel begun—The cap found—A drink of buttermilk—Oscar's opinion of it—Jerry's love for it—Another delay—Feeding the fowls—A mysterious letter—The Shanghae rooster's complaint—Curiosity excited—The suspected author—Clinton's education—Keeping dark about the letter—Who Clinton was—Where he lived—Killing caterpillars—How caterpillars breed—The young turkeys—The brood of chickens—The hen-coop—Clinton's management of the poultry—His profits—Success the result of effort, not of luck—The "rooster's letter" not alluded to—The piggery—The barn—"The horse's prayer"—A new-comer—Her name—A discovery—Relationship of Clinton to Whistler—Mrs. Davenport—Oscar conceals his dislike of Whistler—The shop—Specimens of Clinton's work—Going home.