Ihewedthemaintimberssixinchessquare，mostofthestudsontwosidesonly，andtheraftersandfloortimbersononeside，leavingtherestofthebarkon，sothattheywerejustasstraightandmuchstrongerthansawedones。Eachstickwascarefullymortisedortenonedbyitsstump，forIhadborrowedothertoolsbythistime。Mydaysinthewoodswerenotverylongones；yetI
usuallycarriedmydinnerofbreadandbutter，andreadthenewspaperinwhichitwaswrapped，atnoon，sittingamidthegreenpineboughswhichIhadcutoff，andtomybreadwasimpartedsomeoftheirfragrance，formyhandswerecoveredwithathickcoatofpitch。BeforeIhaddoneIwasmorethefriendthanthefoeofthepinetree，thoughIhadcutdownsomeofthem，havingbecomebetteracquaintedwithit。Sometimesaramblerinthewoodwasattractedbythesoundofmyaxe，andwechattedpleasantlyoverthechipswhichIhadmade。
BythemiddleofApril，forImadenohasteinmywork，butrathermadethemostofit，myhousewasframedandreadyfortheraising。IhadalreadyboughttheshantyofJamesCollins，anIrishmanwhoworkedontheFitchburgRailroad，forboards。JamesCollins’shantywasconsideredanuncommonlyfineone。WhenI
calledtoseeithewasnotathome。Iwalkedabouttheoutside，atfirstunobservedfromwithin，thewindowwassodeepandhigh。Itwasofsmalldimensions，withapeakedcottageroof，andnotmuchelsetobeseen，thedirtbeingraisedfivefeetallaroundasifitwereacompostheap。Theroofwasthesoundestpart，thoughagooddealwarpedandmadebrittlebythesun。Doorsilltherewasnone，butaperennialpassageforthehensunderthedoorboard。Mrs。C。
cametothedoorandaskedmetoviewitfromtheinside。Thehensweredriveninbymyapproach。Itwasdark，andhadadirtfloorforthemostpart，dank，clammy，andaguish，onlyhereaboardandthereaboardwhichwouldnotbearremoval。Shelightedalamptoshowmetheinsideoftheroofandthewalls，andalsothattheboardfloorextendedunderthebed，warningmenottostepintothecellar，asortofdustholetwofeetdeep。Inherownwords，theywere“goodboardsoverhead，goodboardsallaround，andagoodwindow“——oftwowholesquaresoriginally，onlythecathadpassedoutthatwaylately。Therewasastove，abed，andaplacetosit，aninfantinthehousewhereitwasborn，asilkparasol，gilt-framedlooking-glass，andapatentnewcoffee-millnailedtoanoaksapling，alltold。Thebargainwassoonconcluded，forJameshadinthemeanwhilereturned。Itopayfourdollarsandtwenty-fivecentstonight，hetovacateatfivetomorrowmorning，sellingtonobodyelsemeanwhile:Itotakepossessionatsix。Itwerewell，hesaid，tobethereearly，andanticipatecertainindistinctbutwhollyunjustclaimsonthescoreofgroundrentandfuel。Thisheassuredmewastheonlyencumbrance。AtsixIpassedhimandhisfamilyontheroad。Onelargebundleheldtheirall——