THE EXHILARATIONS OF THE ROAD. 45 



way, what hard pulls, what prospects from hills, what 

 spectacles we would behold of night and day, what 

 passages with dogs, what glances, what peeps into 

 windows, what characters we should fall in with, and 

 how seasoned and hardy we should arrive at our des- 

 tination ! 



For companion I should want a veteran of the 

 war ! Those marches put something into him I 

 like. Even at this distance his mettle is but little 

 softened.* As soon as he gets warmed up it all comes 

 back to him. He catches your step and away you 

 go, a gay, adventurous, half predatory couple. How 

 quickly he falls into the old ways of jest and anecdote 

 and song ! You may have known him for years with- 

 out having heard him hum an air, or more than cas- 

 ually revert to the subject of his experience during 

 the war. You have even questioned and cross-ques- 

 tioned him without firing the train you wished. But 

 get him out on a vacation tramp, and you can walk 

 it all out of him. By the camp fire at night or swing- 

 ing along the streams by day, song, anecdote, advent- 

 ure, come to the surface, and you wonder how your 

 companion has kept silent so long. 



It is another proof of how walking brings out the 

 true character of a man. The devil never yet asked 

 his victims to take a walk with him. You will not 

 be long in finding your companion out. All dis- 

 guises will fall away from him. As his pores open 

 bis character is laid bare. His deepest and most 

 private self will come to the top. It matters little 



