



Produced by Imran Ghory, Stan Goodman, Mary Meehan and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team










THE YOUNG WOODSMAN

OR

Life in the Forests of Canada

BY J. MACDONALD OXLEY

Author of "Diamond Rock; or, On the Right Track," &c. &c.

1895




CONTENTS.


     I. THE CALL TO WORK

    II. THE CHOICE OF AN OCCUPATION

   III. OFF TO THE WOODS

    IV. THE BUILDING OF THE SHANTY

     V. STANDING FIRE

    VI. LIFE IN THE LUMBER CAMP

   VII. A THRILLING EXPERIENCE

  VIII. IN THE NICK OF TIME

    IX. OUT OF CLOUDS, SUNSHINE

     X. A HUNTING-TRIP

    XI. THE GREAT SPRING DRIVE

   XII. HOME AGAIN




THE YOUNG WOODSMAN.




CHAPTER I.

THE CALL TO WORK.


"I'm afraid there'll be no more school for you now, Frank darling. Will
you mind having to go to work?"

"Mind it! Why, no, mother; not the least bit. I'm quite old enough, ain't
I?"

"I suppose you are, dear; though I would like to have you stay at your
lessons for one more year anyway. What kind of work would you like best?"

"That's not a hard question to answer, mother. I want to be what father
was."

The mother's face grew pale at this reply, and for some few moments she
made no response.

       *       *       *       *       *

The march of civilization on a great continent means loss as well as
gain. The opening up of the country for settlement, the increase and
spread of population, the making of the wilderness to blossom as the