T^he Stickeen River 



explaining that it involved a walk, coming and going, 

 of fourteen or sixteen miles, and a climb through 

 brush and boulders of seven thousand feet, a fair day's 

 work for a seasoned mountaineer to be done in less 

 than half a day and part of a night. But he insisted 

 that he was a strong walker, could do a mountaineer's 

 day's work in half a day, and would not hinder me in 

 any way. 



"Well, I have warned you," I said, "and will 

 not assume responsibility for any trouble that may 

 arise." 



He proved to be a stout walker, and we made rapid 

 progress across a brushy timbered flat and up the 

 mountain slopes, open in some places, and in others 

 thatched with dwarf firs, resting a minute here and 

 there to refresh ourselves with huckleberries, which 

 grew in abundance in open spots. About half an hour 

 before sunset, when we were near a cluster of crum- 

 bling pinnacles that formed the summit, I had ceased 

 to feel anxiety about the mountaineering strength 

 and skill of my companion, and pushed rapidly on. 

 In passing around the shoulder of the highest pin- 

 nacle, where the rock was rapidly disintegrating and 

 the danger of slipping was great, I shouted in a warn- 

 ing voice, "Be very careful here, this is dangerous." 



Mr. Young was perhaps a dozen or two yards be- 

 hind me, but out of sight. I afterwards reproached 

 myself for not stopping and lending him a steadying 

 hand, and showing him the slight footsteps I had 

 made by kicking out little blocks of the crumbling 

 surface, instead of simply warning him to be careful. 



[ SI J 



