The mill down in the village, you know, is a grist-mill." By this time, the boys had got to the top of the hill, and they got into the sleigh, and rode along.

Presently, they came to a place where Jonas was going to turn off, into a sort of by-road which led away into the woods, where the pine-trees grew.

The man that owned the trees lived pretty near, in a farm-house.
"Is that the road that we are going in ?" asked Oliver.
"Yes," said Jonas, "but it does not look very promising." The road was filled up nearly full of snow.

It had been hard, so that they could travel upon it pretty well; but the warm sun had softened the snow so much, that the horses' feet sunk down into it, in some places, very deep.

However, Jonas went along as well as he could.
"Let us get out and walk, Jonas," said Oliver.
"No," said Jonas, "that will not do much good; for it is the weight of the horse himself, that makes him sink into the snow, not the weight of the sleigh." So the boys both continued to ride in the sleigh.