PEPACTON: A SUMMER VOYAGE. 17 



presently reappeared with swimming pail, with those 

 little yellow flakes floating about upon it that one 

 likes to see. 



I passed several low dams the second day, but had 

 no trouble. I dismounted and stood upon the apron, 

 and the boat, with plenty of line, came over as 

 lightly as a chip, and swung around in the eddy be- 

 low like a steed that knows its master. In the after- 

 noon, while slowly drifting down a long eddy, the 

 moist southwest wind brought me the welcome odor 

 of strawberries, and running ashore by a meadow, a 

 short distance below, I was soon parting the daisies 

 and filling my cup with the dead-ripe fruit. Berries, 

 be they red, blue, or black, seem like a special provi- 

 dence to the camper-out ; they are luxuries he has 

 not counted on, and I prized these accordingly. 

 Later in the day it threatened rain, and I drew up to 

 shore under the shelter of some thick overhanging 

 hemlocks, and proceeded to eat my berries and milk, 

 glad of an excuse not to delay my lunch longer. 

 While tarrying here I heard young voices up stream, 

 and looking in that direction saw two boys coming 

 down the rapids on rude floats. They were racing 

 along at a lively pace, each with a pole in his hand, 

 dexterously avoiding the rocks and the breakers, and 

 schooling themselves thus early in the duties and 

 perils of the raftsmen. As they saw me one observed 

 to the other, 



" There is the man we saw go by when we were 

 Building our floats. If we had known he was coming 

 2 



