174 WAKE-BOBIN 



any reference to the circuitous route by which I had 

 come, and loading heavily and firing at intervals. 

 I must have aroused many long-dormant echoes 

 from a Kip Van Winkle sleep. As my powder got 

 low, I fired and halloed alternately, till I came near 

 splitting both my throat and gun. Finally, after I 

 had begun to have a very ugly feeling of alarm and 

 disappointment, and to cast about vaguely for some 

 course to pursue in the emergency that seemed near 

 at hand, — namely, the loss of my companions now 

 I had found the lake, — a favoring breeze brought 

 me the last echo of a response. I rejoined with 

 spirit, and hastened with all speed in the direction 

 whence the sound had come, but, after repeated 

 trials, failed to elicit another answering sound. 

 This filled me with apprehension again. I feared 

 that my friends had been misled by the reverbera- 

 tions, and I pictured them to myself hastening in 

 the opposite direction. Paying little attention to 

 my course, but paying dearly for my carelessness 

 afterward, I rushed forward to undeceive them. 

 But they had not been deceived, and in a few 

 moments an answering shout revealed them near at 

 hand. I heard their tramp, the bushes parted, and 

 we three met again. 



In answer to their eager inquiries, I assured them 

 that I had seen the lake, that it was at the foot of 

 the mountain, and that we could not miss it if we 

 kept straight down from where w^e then were. 



My clothes were soaked with perspiration, but I 

 shouldered my knapsack with alacrity, and we began 



