14 JOCK'S LAKE. 



in 'my closet at college had given me many a Saturday 

 ramble over the hills. But I had almost forgotten all the 

 experiences of my boyhood in that regard, and had wholly 

 lost the enthusiasm of those sports, while 1 was entirely 

 ignorant of the special delights of forest camp life. 1 

 therefore anticipated my vacation trip to the woods and 

 the hunting and fishing with no special pleasure, content 

 that it should give me fresh air and vigor. 



Many an evening during the interval between the con- 

 versation already detailed and the anticipated day of our 

 departure for the woods, Benson regaled me, in his bach- 

 elor quarters, with tales of his adventuivs on former excur- 

 sions, and instructed me in forest Ion- and wood-craft, as, 

 with boyish delight, he drew forth his stoivs of fishing 

 tackle, his gun and amunition, woodsman's attire and the 

 manifold "little conveniences " an old camper accumulate- 

 His tenderest touch and tone- wn-e when he opened hi^ 

 magical fly-book, and fondled the (lies that he loved. 

 They were his pets and had been his companions, by many 

 a lake and stream, and associated in his mind with the 

 pleasantest days of his life. Kven a half emptied bottle t.i 1 

 "tar-oil "evoked an expression of his delight, as lie un- 

 corked it and insisted that I should snuff its odors. " You 

 don't like it?" said he in response to my shudder of 

 disgust, " but you'll see the day when its smell will be 

 sweeter than roses." I did not quite comprehend the 

 remark or the facts it rested upon for its significance. 



I had but little care or labor for my own preparation, 

 fishing tackle et cetera being thrust upon me by the old 



