A SUMMER VOYAGE 13 



keeping — they left me. I was loath to part with 

 them ; their musical voices and their thorough good- 

 fellowship had been very acceptable. With a little 

 persuasion, I think they would have left their home 

 and humble fortunes, and gone a-roving with me. 



About four o'clock the warm, vapor- laden south- 

 west wind brought forth the expected thunder- 

 shower. I saw the storm rapidly developing behind 

 the mountains in my front. Presently I came in 

 sight of a long covered wooden bridge that spanned 

 the river about a mile ahead, and I put my paddle 

 into the water with all my force to reach this cover 

 before the storm. It was neck and neck most of 

 the way. The storm had the wind, and I had it 



— in my teeth. The bridge was at Shavertown, 



and it was by a close shave that I got under it 



before the rain was upon me. How it poured and 



rattled and whipped in around the abutment of the 



bridge to reach me! I looked out well satisfied 



upon the foaming water^ upon the wet, unpainted 



houses and barns of the Shavertowners, and upon 



the trees, 



" Caught and cuffed by the gale." 



Another traveler — the spotted-winged nighthawk 



— was also roughly used by the storm. He faced 

 it bravely, and beat and beat, but was unable to 

 stem it, or even hold his own ; gradually he drifted 

 back, till he was lost to sight in the wet obscurity. 

 The water in the river rose an inch while I waited, 

 about three quarters of an hour. Only one man, 

 I reckon, saw me in Shavertown, and he came and 



