“Only you’ll get lost, and buried up in the snow.”

“No,” said Jonas; “there might be some danger to-morrow evening, after it shall have been snowing four and twenty hours; but not to-night.  The snow will not be more than a foot deep at midnight.”

When they had got as many of the rafters upon the sled as Jonas thought the oxen could conveniently draw, he secured the load by the chains, and collected the rest of the sticks together a little, on the ground.  Then he told Josey to climb up to the top of the load and ride.  He said that he would walk along by the side of the oxen.  Josey found it more comfortable going back, than it was coming up, for the wind was now behind him, and the snow did not drive into his face.  Jonas walked along in the snow, which was now nearly ankle deep, and after they had got out of the woods, there were some places where it had drifted much deeper.

“Do you suppose that uncle has got his frame done?” said Josey.

“I presume he has left it, if he hasn’t finished it,” said Jonas.

“Why?  Why couldn’t he stay out in the storm to work, as well as we?”

“Because,” said Jonas, “the snow would wet his tools, and fill up his mortises, and so trouble him a great deal more than it does us.  You can’t do carpenter’s work out of doors in a snow-storm.”

“Do you mean to go after the other load?” asked Josey.

“Yes,” replied Jonas.

The boys found, when they reached the yard, that it was as Jonas had predicted.  The farmer and Amos had left their work and gone in.  They were in the shop grinding their tools.  The farmer asked Jonas if he had got all the rafters.

“No, sir,” said Jonas; “there is another load.”

“Well, we’ll let them go,” said the farmer.  “I’m very glad you’ve got one load down.”

“I think, sir,” said Jonas, “if you have no objection, I’d better go and get the rest.  I know just where they are, and I can get them all down here before night.”

“You won’t have time to get down before it will be dark,” said the farmer.

“Just as you think best, sir,” said Jonas, “but I think I can get out of the woods before dark; and it is of no consequence about the rest of the way.”

“Very well,” said the farmer, “you may go.  Don’t you want Amos to go with you?”

“No, sir, it isn’t necessary.”

“No, sir,” said Josey, “I can go with him.”

So Jonas threw off his load, and then turned his team about, and once more set out for the woods.  He and Josey sat upon the sled, talking by the way,—­the storm continuing without much change.  The snow gradually increased in depth, but the oxen walked along without difficulty through it.  Sometimes they came to a drift where the snow was so deep as to come in a little upon the bars, where the boys were sitting; but in general the sled runners glided along through it very smoothly.

The woods appeared still more somber and solitary than they had done before.  The new snow was deeper, and it was falling faster; and, besides, as it was now nearly sundown, there was only a gloomy sort of twilight, under the trees.  Jonas and Josey loaded the sled as fast as they could.  They put on the last of the rafters, which Jonas had collected, with great satisfaction.  Josey, especially, began to be in haste to set out on his return.