This was an important step out of the difficulty, and its performance increased my courage for the work which remained to be done.
The cart was provided with an ax, a tool with which I had become pretty well acquainted in the ship yard at Baltimore.

With this, I cut down the saplings by which my oxen were entangled, and again pursued my journey, with my heart in my mouth, lest the oxen should again take it into their senseless heads to cut up a caper.

My fears were groundless.

Their spree was over for the present, and the rascals now moved off as soberly as though their behavior had been natural and exemplary.

On reaching the part of the forest where I had been, the day before, chopping wood, I filled the cart with a heavy load, as a security against another running away.