A TRAMP IN THE CATSKILLS 83 



repeated trials, failed to elicit another answering sound. 

 This filled me with apprehension again. I feared that 

 my friends had been misled by the reverberations, 

 and I pictured them to myself hastening in the oppo- 

 site 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 eager 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, and we began 

 the descent. I noticed that the woods were much 

 thicker, and had quite a different look from those I 

 had passed through, but thought nothing of it, as I 

 expected to strike the lake near its head, whereas I had 

 before come out at its foot. We had not gone far when 

 we crossed a line of marked trees, which my com- 

 panions were disposed to follow. It intersected our 

 course nearly at right angles, and kept along and up 

 the side of the mountain. My impression was that it 

 led up from the lake, and that by keeping our own 

 course we should reach the lake sooner than if we fol- 

 lowed this line. 



About half way down the mountain, we could see 

 through the interstices the opposite slope. I encour- 

 aged my comrades by telling them that the lake was 

 between us and that, and not more than half a mile 

 distant. We soon reached the bottom, where we found 



