196 BIRCH BROWSINGS. 



spouse came. Then I tried again, and again, but 

 without evoking an answer. One of iny companions, 

 however, who had climbed to the top of the high 

 rocks in the rear of the spring thought he heard 

 faintly one report. It seemed an immense distance 

 below him, and far around under the mountain. I 

 knew I had come a long way, and hardly expected to 

 be able to communicate with my companions in the 

 manner agreed upon. I therefore started back, choos- 

 ing 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 feel- 

 ing 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 response. I re- 

 ioined with spirit, and hastened with all speed in the 

 direction whence the sound had come, but after re- 

 peated trials, failed to elicit another answering sound. 

 This filled me with apprehension again. I feared 

 that my friends had been misled by the reverber- 

 ations, and I pictured them to myself hastening in the 

 opposite direction. Paying little attention to my 

 course, but paying dearly for my carelessness after- 

 ward, I rushed forward to undeceive them. But they 



