1 88 BIRCH BROWSINGS. 



far around under the mountain. I knew I had come 

 a long way, and hardly expected to be able to commu- 

 nicate with my companions in the manner agreed 

 upon. I therefore started back, choosing my course 

 without any reference to the circuitous route by which 

 I had come, and loading heavily and firing at intervals. 

 I must have aroused many long-dormant echoes from 

 a Rip Van Winkle sleep. As my powder got low, I 

 fired and halloed alternately, till I came near splitting 

 both my throat and gun. Finally, after I had begun to 

 have a very ugly feeling of alarm and disappointment, 

 and to cast about vaguely for some course to pursue in 

 the emergency that seemed near at hand, — namely, 

 the loss of my companions now I had found the lake, 

 — a favoring breeze brought me the last echo of a re- 

 sponse. I rejoined with spirit, and hastened with all 

 speed in the direction whence the sound had come, 

 but after repeated trials, failed to elicit another an- 

 swering sound. This filled me tvith apprehension 

 again. I feared that my friends had been misled by 

 the reverberations, and I pictured them to myself has- 

 tening in the opposite direction. Paying little atten- 

 tion to my course, but paying clearly for my careless- 

 ness 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 



