would pass up the minor matter of lack of bait, for I 

 was discovered in the act of lowering my line quite 

 guiltless of this necessary attachment. However, I 

 quickly produced an alibi in the authentic account of 

 the youngster up near Douglas Lodge who had caught 

 the limit the law allows, equipped only with a broom- 

 handle, a piece of ordinary twine and a bent pin. 



When thoughts of supper recurred, we found to our 

 amazement that it was nearly nine o'clock; literally, 

 we had fished "till the cows came home," for the tinkle 

 of their bells was carried to us over the water. We 

 were soon homeward bound, and bringing teamwork 

 into full play were ready to "fly at 'er" in short order. 

 And how good everything tasted amidst the picturesque 

 setting. The subdued glow of moonlight made the lan- 

 terns seem superfluous ; and the never-ceasing rustle of 

 the aspens blended dreamily with the occasional drowsy 

 twittering of the nestlings in their branches. After- 

 ward everyone felt in the mood for a campfire and the 

 yarns that go with it ; so far into the night we listened 

 to tales of the wonderful exploits of Paul Bunyan, the 

 legendary superman logger, interspersed with equally 

 thrilling accounts of the adventures which State For- 

 ester Cox had encountered in his travels on tote road 

 and trail, and which the tellers had heard him relate 

 on similar occasions. Not infrequently, though, we 

 felt impelled to take a toasted marshmallow in lieu of 

 a particularly preposterous yarn that refused to be 

 swallowed whole. 



We gradually came to look up the campfire as an in- 

 dispensable sequel to each day in camp. The early 

 evening was usually spent on the lake. Its attractive- 



21 



