22 A SUMMER BOATING TRIP 



on the head of the Rondout, the chimney swallows 

 entering the chamber through a stove-pipe hole in the 

 roof, and gluing their nests to the sides of the rafters, 

 like the barn swallows. 



I was now, on the third day, well down in the 

 wilds of Colchester, with a current that made between 

 two and three miles an hour, — just a summer idler's 

 pace. The atmosphere of the rive- had improved much 

 since the first day, — was, indeed, without taint, — 

 and the water was sweet and good. There were farm- 

 houses at intervals of a mile or so; but the amount of 

 tillable land in the river valley or on the adjacent 

 mountains was very small. Occasionally there would 

 be fortv or fiftv acres of flat, usually in grass or corn, 

 with a thrifty looking farmhouse. One could see how 

 surely the land made the house and its surroundings ; 

 good land bearing good buildings, and poor land poor. 



In mid-forenoon I reached the long placid eddy at 

 Downsville, and here again fell in with two boys. They 

 were out paddling about in a boat when I drew near, 

 and thev evidently regarded me in the light of a rare 

 prize which fortune had wafted them. 



" Ain't you glad we come, Benny ? " I heard one of 

 them observe to the other, as they were conducting 

 me to the best place to land. They were bright, good 

 boys, off the same piece as my acquaintances of the 

 day before, and about the same ages, — differing only 

 in being village boys. AYith what curiosity they looked 

 me over! Where had I come from; where was I going; 

 how long had I been on the wav; who built mv boat; 

 was I a carpenter, to build such a neat craft, etc. ? 

 They never had seen such a traveler before. Had I had 

 no mishaps ? And then the}^ bethought them of the 



