CHAPTER IX. 

DIFFICULTY 

Although it was winter when the boys were taking this ride, yet the sun was shining in a very warm and pleasant manner, and the snow was every where softening in the fields and melting in the roads, indicating that the spring was coming on. 

There was a little stream of water, coming down the hill in the middle of the road, and forming a long pool at the bottom. Jonas turned his horse to one side, to avoid this pool of water, and waited until Oliver came up. 

"Well, Oliver," said he,--"tired of the mill already?" 

"Why, no," said Oliver, "only I thought that, on the whole, I'd rather go with you. I didn't think that you were going to be gone so long." 

"It is about two miles," said Jonas. 

"Where are you going?" said Oliver. 

"O, to see about some logs. I thought you heard your father tell me to go and see about some logs." 

"What about the logs?" said Oliver. 

"Why, to make the boards of, for the barn." 

"O," replied Oliver, "I didn't know that." 

"Yes," continued Jonas, "when we want boards, we have to go to somebody who owns some pine timber in the woods, and get him to cut down some of them, and haul them to the mill. Then they saw them up, and make boards." 

"What mill?" said Oliver. 

"At that saw-mill near the carding-mill. The mill down in the village, you know, is a grist-mill." 

By this time, the boys had got to the top of the hill, and they got into the sleigh, and rode along. Presently, they came to a place where Jonas was going to turn off, into a sort of by-road which led away into the woods, where the pine-trees grew. The man that owned the trees lived pretty near, in a farm-house. 

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. What was by the sawmill?
2. What was in the village?
3. What season was it?
4. What were the young men doing?
5. Was it sunny?
6. What melted?
7. Which season was approaching?
8. Was there a large body of water?
9. Then what type of water?
10. Where did it come from?
11. Where was that?
12. How did it end?
13. Was an animal ridden?
14. What kind?
15. By whom?
16. Was he watching for someone?
17. For whom?
18. How far was it?
19. Who sent them to see the wood?
20. What were they making?

Numbered answers:
1. carding-mil
2. grist-mill
3. winter
4. taking this ride,
5. Yes
6. snow
7. spring
8. No
9. a little stream
10. down the hill
11. middle of the road
12. a long pool
13. yes
14. horse
15. Jonas
16. Yes
17. Oliver
18. two miles
19. father
20. boards