IN THE NORTH WOODS 51 



ware Man, Frank, Jim, the Boy and the Preacher. 

 Poor Jim! He could ill afford the expense of the 

 outing, but he " felt all played out," as he expressed 

 it, and the physician had ordered him from behind 

 the counter to the woods. Every day he cheerfully 

 assured us that he was feeling better, and every day 

 he grew thinner and his breathing more difficult. 

 He was in the beginning of a fight which was to go 

 on for a couple of years longer; then he gave up the 

 battle and lay down to rest. 



We had come prepared to camp out, and imme- 

 diate preparations were made for realizing this 

 ambition. The guide proposed Independence River 

 as a favourable point and, as we knew nothing of 

 that or any other part of the country, we acted 

 upon his suggestion, especially as he had told mar- 

 vellous tales of the Independence River trout. It 

 was not a long or hard tramp to the place where 

 we struck the river and pitched the tent. The sun 

 was shining, the air was soft and warm, and the 

 Hardware Man was running over with enthusiasm. 

 As we made ready for the night, with a big fire 

 blazing in front of the open tent, he remarked, 

 " I've looked forward to this hour from my boy- 

 hood." Whereas the more experienced members 

 of the party pulled on extra sweaters for the night, 

 the Hardware Man proceeded to disrobe as if he 

 were in his house in Harlem. When some one 

 suggested that he might feel the need of this cloth- 

 ing before morning, he exhibited his sleeping bag 



