14 A SUMMER BOATING TRIP 



"Well, I suppose I can get you some;" and she 

 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 below like 

 a steed that knows its master. In the afternoon, 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 providence 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 shel- 

 ter 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 raftsman. 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 

 so far, maybe we could have got him to give us a ride." 



They drew near, guided their crafts to shore beside 

 me, and tied up, their poles answering for hawsers. 



