BIRCH BROWSINGS. 227 



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 has- 

 tening 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 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 we then were. 



My clothes were soaked with perspiration, 

 but I shouldered my knapsack with alacrity, 



