Mr. Martin heard the murmurs¹ of those in the automobile² with him, and he knew that they might become much frightened.  
Truly there was danger of a collision with the load of poles, as there was not room to pass on the narrow road. And, so far, he had not been able to stop his car. But it was going slowly, for, though the brakes did not hold it completely, they held it somewhat.
 
“If we bump we won’t bump very hard,” said Ted⁴ to his sister.
 
Meanwhile the man driving the load of poles which he had cut in the woods, was doing his best to find some place along the narrow road where he could pull to one side. The Curlytops were near enough now to see that one of the rear wheels of the wagon⁵ was sliding along in an iron “shoe.”
 
[111]This is what is often used in the country, and on heavy lumber⁶ or stone wagons⁷, to keep them from going downhill too fast. The “shoe,” as it is called, is made so that the wheel fits in it. The front of the shoe is fastened by a chain to the body of the wagon, and thus one wheel is dragged along the ground, acting⁹ as a brake. It is just the same as when you may be coasting along on one roller skate, you drag the other foot to act as a brake.
 
Nearer and nearer the automobile of the Curlytops came to the wagon load of poles. And just when it seemed as if they must “bunk,” as Janet called it, though perhaps the “bunk” would not be very hard—just then the driver, who was walking beside his horse, with the reins¹⁰ in his hand, came to a wider place in the road.
 
“I’ll turn in here and you can pass me!” he called.
 
“All right—thank you!” shouted Mr. Martin.
 
Carefully he guided the automobile past the load of poles. There was just about room enough to pass, and not much more. Soon after that the hill ended and they were on level ground again.
 
[112]“Mah good land ob goodness, Ah’s glad dat’s ended!” sighed Lucy.
 
“I guess we’re all glad,” said Mrs. Martin. “You must have your brakes looked after, Dick!”
 
“I will,” he said. “I thought they were all right. Some sand must have gotten in them from the roads. But now we’re all right.”
 
They were driving along a pleasant road through the woods. All danger seemed to be over, and Mr. Martin said he wished he had taken the other way instead of the one the farmer had told about as being the “least mite¹¹ shorter.”
 
“Sometimes the longest way is the best,” said Mr. Martin. “But I think we’re all right now.”
 
And they were, for in about half an hour longer they were within sight of Mount Major, as it was called, the place where Mr. Martin was to set up the store for the lumbermen.
 
“Oh, what a lovely place!” cried Janet, as they caught a glimpse of it from a hill just before reaching it.
 
“Good place to fish,” observed Ted. “I see a lake and a river.”
 
[113]“I fish, too!” cried Trouble.
 
“Doan yo’ fall in!” warned Lucy, hugging the little fellow, who, in spite of his mischief¹², was her special favorite.
 
“Yes, there is plenty of water around here,” said Mr. Martin. “There needs to be on account of the lumber. Well,” he went on, “I don’t see any of the men here yet. I guess I’m in plenty of time. I was afraid I’d be late. Now we’ll unpack¹³ and get something to eat. I suppose you’re hungry, aren’t you, Curlytops?” he asked, with a laugh.
 
“Terrible!” announced Ted. “Can we cook dinner over a campfire?”
 
“Maybe, some time,” his father said. “But I think there’s an oil stove in the bungalow¹⁴ and that will be better when we’re in a hurry.”
 
“Where’s buffalo¹⁵?” asked Trouble, looking around. “I don’t see any buffalo. Has him got a hump on his back?”
 
“You’re thinking of a camel!” laughed Janet.
 
“No, a buffalo had a sort of hump up near his head,” remarked Teddy. “But what makes him ask about a buffalo, anyhow?”
 
“He means bungalow—the place where[114] we’re going to live,” explained Mrs. Martin with a smile. “There it is, children, over under the trees. Oh, what a fine place!”
 
There was a driveway at one side of the bungalow, which was made of logs, and, a little farther on, a shed where the automobile could be kept. Leading down from the front door was a path, and this extended to a lake, the waters of which were as blue as the sky. Flowing into this lake, not far from the bungalow, was a small river.
 
All around the lake, along the river and surrounding the bungalow were trees, trees, trees—so many that the Curlytops never could have counted them all. And here and there, in cleared places where the trees had been cut down, were rough buildings, made from logs and “slabs,” that is, half-rounded pieces of wood that are sawed from logs to make the timbers square and true.
 
Over the door of one of the buildings was a sign:
 
GENERAL STORE
 
Seeing this Janet cried:
 
“Is that where you are going to keep store, Daddy?”
 
[115]“I’m not exactly going to keep store,” her father replied. “I came up here to get the store started and to show the men how to run it. They will be cutting lumber here the rest of the summer and all winter, and they will want to buy things from the store, as some of the lumbermen are bringing their families with them.”
 
As yet none of the lumbermen had arrived, for the camp was not to open for a few days. It was needful to start the store first so the men would have something to eat when they should arrive.
 
Piled about the building that was marked with the store sign were many boxes and barrels. The Curlytops had seen such packages before at their father’s store in Cresco, and they knew what the boxes and barrels held—sugar, canned goods, dried fruits, tea, coffee, oatmeal, overalls¹⁶, hats and all the things that go to make up a general store. All these goods must be taken out of their packages and arranged on the shelves.
 
“Couldn’t we help in the store, Daddy?” asked Ted, as his father started toward the bungalow, to open it with a key he had.
 
“Oh, yes, I guess so,” was the answer.[116] “I expect a couple of men up to do the heavy work. They ought to be here now.”
 
The bungalow was opened and the Curlytop family went inside. The more they saw of the place the better they liked it. There was a large living-room with a great fireplace, a dining-room and a kitchen on the first floor, and upstairs were bedrooms.
 
“And there are dishes in the pantry, too!” announced Janet, as she came back from having looked around.
 
“Is there anything to put on the dishes?” asked Ted, laughing. “I mean anything to eat?”
 
“That’s what I want to know, too,” laughed Mr. Martin.
 
“I’ll soon have something ready,” promised Mrs. Martin. “Come, Lucy, we must feed these hungry animals.”
 
“I am bear—that’s what I is!” cried Trouble, and he pretended to growl¹⁷ like a bear to show how hungry he was.
 
“I’ll go over and take a look at the store,” announced Mr. Martin. “There’s wood already cut for the fire,” he said.
 
“We’ll attend to things,” said Mrs. Martin. “Just bring in the food from the auto³ and we’ll soon have a............