into the canoes and were off among the myriad islands of the 

 lake. 



We had proceeded but a short distance when one of the 

 canoes sprang a leak and no small one, either. This mishap 

 would have discouraged less ardent lovers of the out-of-doors 

 but our enthusiasm over the trip was not lessened one whit. 

 We simply unloaded our equipment, emptied the water out, 

 fixed the canoe the best we could with white lead, loaded up 

 once more and were off. 



While we were eating our dinner on an island a big lake 

 steamer went by. We hailed it to inquire the way. We made 

 only about six miles the afternoon of the first day for the 

 apparent reason that we were none of us used to paddling and 

 also because of the fact that we were sailing against a heavy 

 wind. As soon as the first signs of darkness appeared we 

 gladly pulled to shore. What a thrill that first campfire gave 

 us! When we sat down to supper that first night we discov- 

 ered that we were equally as hungry as we were tired. We 

 didn't trouble to put up our tents as there was a clear sky and 

 a bright moon. We simply gathered a lot of balsam boughs 

 and shaped them into beds, rolled up in our blankets and went 

 to sleep under the moon and the stars. 



We started the next morning about fi-ve o'clock. Our canoe 

 still leaked so badly that our feet were wet all the time so we 

 pulled in at a fish station and bought some tar. Our second 

 effort to stop the leakage was more satisfactory available and 

 henceforth that canoe was known as "Old Tar." 



After making three portages we got into the stream which 

 leads into the smaller lakes. We pitched our tents that night 

 as it looked like rain and it was well we did it for it rained 

 long and heavily. 



We didn't break camp until noon of the following day and 

 then we paddled only around a bend in the stream when we 

 came in sight of a lumber camp. The cookee, who happened 

 to be at the landing was hospitable enough to invite us up for 

 lunch which invitation we freely accepted. We had eaten our 

 campfire cooking with joyful appetites but the fare set before 

 us in this backwoods lumber camp was great. Cookies, dough- 



11 



