fire required another stick of wood. 

 Only on such occasions did we see or 

 hear the permanent residents of Muskrat 

 City. As the fire was kicked together 

 and a fresh stick thrown upon it, causing 

 a shower of sparks to shoot upward, 

 then would be heard a rapid succession 

 of splashes as fifteen or twenty rats 

 would plunge into the brook and scurry 

 to their hiding places. Otherwise, they 

 silently went about their business. 



About seven o'clock on the following 

 morning, we climbed the ridge over 

 which we had come into Muskrat City, 

 and taking careful note of landmarks, we 

 proceeded in a general eastward direc- 

 tion. One can usually see but a short 

 distance in an unlumbered forest. After 

 two hours of slow and difficult travel we 

 climbed a high and steep hill. When we 

 neared the top we noted a rocky ledge on 

 the summit. Scrambling to the top of 

 this, we had an unobstructed and ex- 

 tended view over valleys and foothills, 



14 



