VII. 



ROD AXD REEL. 



" \ /r "^'' ^^UEEAY, wake up ! the pancakes are 



-LVX ready l " shouted John. 



Aroused by the familiar cry, I arose, and, walk- 

 ing down to the shore of the lake, evaded out into 

 its tide, and, plunging my head under water, held 

 it there for a moment, while the delicious sense of 

 coolness ran through my system ; then I raised it, 

 turning my dripping face straight toward the bright, 

 warm sun. the sweet experience of that mo- 

 ment ! How cool the water ; how fresh the air ; 

 lioAV clear the sky ; how fragrant the breath of 

 balsam and of pine ! luxury of luxuries, to have 

 a lake of crystal water for your wash-bowl, the 

 morning zephp" for a towel, the whitest sand for 

 soap, and the odors of aromatic trees for perfumes ! 

 What belle or millionnaire can boast of such sur- 

 roundings ? 



Fresh as an athlete in training, I returned to 

 camp and to breakfast. Breakfast in the wilder- 

 ness means something. No muttering about " those 

 miserable rolls " ; no yaAvning over a small strip of 

 steak, cut in the form of a parallelogram, an inch 



