266 CRANBERRY LAKE. — THE OSWEGATCIIIE. 



" Well — I didn't see you caich it (luy oilier iray! '" 



The Squire shouted, " GeiiUeinenl I'm Aiiulicated! Drive 

 on, Biirnham! — Good-bye, CU)ok!"' 



But — withiu an hour, we had brought the 'Squire to tlie 

 confessional — and he admitted tliat the "boss trout" which 

 the SherilT and 1 saw him so ])ro\idly bearing- at 0\\'ens's 

 Plains, was caught by Cook in Cook's Spring-Hole, the 

 night befoi'e, with a net — and that he l)ought it wi Cook! — 

 We Avere approaching civilization, — and the truth-telling 

 instinct of the civilized man was moving the 'Squire. We 

 never heard, however, what became of Cook's "biler." 



We readied Hermon in the evening, re-organized our 

 outer man, and once more enjoj^ed the luxury of clean 

 sheets. Early the next morning, we looked for the 'Squire 

 to say good-bj^e, — but he was lost again : and as we rolled 

 out of towm, in the stage, a sadly humorous refrain, without 

 rhj^me or metre, might have been heard above the rumble 

 of the wheels, conveying to the attentive listener the infor- 

 mation— "Oh, the jolly, jolly 'S(|uire. — he's lost again, 

 —he's lost! lost!! lost!!!" 



In due time we reached our homes, and were resolved 

 into oui- original elements as humble citizens, with, how- 

 ever, something of the forest, the tent, the mosquito- 

 smudge, tar-oil, and Cranberry Lake clinging to us still. 



A few "general observations," and I relieve the reader 

 Avho has followed thus far the fortimes of the Cranberri' 

 Lake party. 



Tlie weather in the woods was unusually warm, but we 

 had no "realizing sense" of the terrible heat outside, until 

 we readied Hermon and the new\spapers. 



