IN THE ADIRONDACKS 147 



at the spring and stretched ourselves out 

 upon its fragrant balsam bed, when the 

 face of the good-natured guide was thrust 

 in at the open door. " By Jolly, but that 

 was a good pull," he said. He had per- 

 formed the feat in about half the time we 

 could have done it, and I do not believe he 

 once relinquished the old clay pipe he held 

 in his teeth. 



We waded about in the spring, a stretch 

 of water only some few inches deep, lying 

 between the great overhanging trees of the 

 forest, an exquisite spot, while the guide 

 prepared supper. A colony of solitary 

 sandpipers waded with us and a rusty 

 grackle scolded. We found deer tracks of 

 the night previous to and from an old lick. 



It was nearly eight o'clock when, with 

 the guide, gun, and lantern, I made my 

 way down to the spring's edge. A root 

 of a tree glowed with light as we passed. 

 Placing the closed light on a pole, turned 

 toward the long log, the deer lick across 

 the spring, we waited silently. The moon- 

 light shone down, gilding the water. It 

 seemed so still, and yet we could hear 

 so many noises. A mouse ran helter- 

 skelter nearly over my foot. Bats flapped 



