Luke's  trees  were  lying  in  the  long  grass  beside
a  copse,  and  the  object  was  to  get  them  out  of  the
field,  across  the  adjacent  railway,  and  to  set  them
down  in  a  lane,  on  the  sward,  whence  he  could  send
for  them  at  leisure.  The  farmer  was  very  anxious  to
get  them  out  of  the  grass,  and  Luke  did  his  best  to
oblige  him.  When  Luke  arrived  at  the  spot,  having
for  once  ridden  straight  there,  he  found  that  almost
all  the  work  was  done,  and  only  one  tree  remained.
BITS  OF  OAK  BARK.  35

This  they  were  getting  up  on  the  timber-carriage,  and
Luke  dismounted  and  assisted.  While  it  was  on  the
timber-carriage,  he  said,  as  it  was  the  last,  they  could
take  it  along  to  the  wharf.  The  farmer  had  come  down
to  watch  how  the  work  got  on,  and  with  him  was  his
little  boy,  a  child  of  five  or  six.  When  the  boy  saw  the
great  tree  fixed,  he  cried  to  be  mounted  on  it  for  a  ride,
but  as  it  was  so  rough  they  persuaded  him  to  ride  on
one  of  the  horses  instead.  As  they  all  approached  the
gate  at  the  level  crossing,  a  white  gate  with  the  words
in  long  black  letters,  "  To  be  kept  Locked,"  they
heard  the  roar  of  the  morning  express  and  stayed  for
it  to  go  by.  So  soon  as  the  train  had  passed,  the  gate
was  opened  and  the  horses  began  to  drag  the  carriage
across.  As  they  strained  at  the  heavyweight,  the  boy
found  the  motion  uncomfortable  and  cried  out,  and
Luke,  always  kind-hearted,  went  and  held  him  on.
