Читать книгу Camping in the Winter Woods: Adventures of Two Boys in the Maine Woods онлайн

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Shouting to the lads to throw off such parts of the load as they could lift before the weight of it sent the wheels deeper, Ben jumped down and quickly unhitched the other horse. Taking a stout rope from beneath the wagon-seat, he made one end fast to the free pony and tied the other end to the bemired animal. Urging and helping the straining horse, he at length freed the imprisoned pony.

Then assisting the boys, who had been working with a will, the guide unloaded the balance of the baggage. He told the lads to collect some rocks and pile them near the sunken axle. Next he took his ax and chopped down a small spruce-tree, from which he trimmed the branches. Fastening the ponies together again, he led them forward the full length of the rope until they stood on firm ground. Then he cut a number of stout poles, which the boys carried and placed across the road in front of the wheels, so that when once released they would not sink again, but might travel over the improvised “corduroy” to solid ground.