The
truth is, that the weather has been so open that I let
Asaph go down to No. 7 and to Wilder's, and engage five-
and-twenty of the best of the men, who, we knew, were
hanging round there. We have all been at work most of
the time since, with very good success. H is now wholly
covered in, and the centring is out. The men have named
it Haliburton. I is well advanced. J is as you left it.
The work has been good for us all, morally."
"February 11th.
". . . We got your mail unexpectedly by some
lumbermen on their way to the 9th Range. One of them has
cut himself, and takes this down.
"You will be amazed to hear that I and K are both
done. We have had splendid weather, and have worked half
the time. We had a great jollification when K was closed
in,--called it Kilpatrick, for Seth's old general. I
wish you could just run up and see us. You must be
quick, if you want to put in any of the last licks.
"March 12th.
"DEAR FRED,--I have but an instant. By all means
make your preparations to be here by the end of the month
or early in next month. The weather has been faultless,
you know. Asaph got in a dozen more men, and we have
brought up the surface farther than you could dream. The
ways are well forward, and I cannot see why, if the
freshet hold off a little, we should not launch her by
the 10th or 12th.
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