A MIDSUMMER MISADVENTURE 179 



Description fails me. The four and a beautiful lake on either side, 



wheels were fairly well matched, We were eight miles by road from our 



though all the spokes were more or nearest neighbor, and three miles 



less distant cousins. On top of the across the lakes with a mile to walk 



four wheels there swayed what had on landing. Beautiful trees grew all 



once been a wagon box ; its own moth- around us, young saplings, ferns and 



er wouldn't have recognized it now. berries on all sides. There were no 



A two-year-old colt and an old brown snakes and I could wander about in 



mare were tied to the front. I can't comfort. Here we pitched camp and 



say harnessed, as the original leather while my husband and George, our 



work was lost in a maze of buckles, guide, were busy building our domi- 



ropes and strings. One thing our coach cile. and trimming the grass around 



sadly lacked — springs. There was a us, Sandy, our coachman, Mac and I 



bit of hay in the fore of the rigging, drove sixteen more miles for provi- 



and we of the female persuasion were sions. 



packed carefully in. Mac, ever a la- We came at last to a general store, 



dies' man, crowded in between us. After ordering a wagon-load of eat- 



The masculine portion sat as best they ables, the storekeeper refused to sell, 



might on the beams behind, the re- the day being Sunday; but he'd fill 



mains of the one-time floor of the box, our order and I could send the money 



and let their feet dangle none too over any time it was convenient. Oh ! 



gracefully through the openings. no! 'twas not that he trusted us, but 



We said good-bye to our old friends, he knew we had no way to escape 



taking as a parting gift, a small bou- without paying. 



quet of flowers tied with a bit of red It was dusk when we returned and 

 worsted. I found two very hungry men. Our 

 We started. Have you ever driven big tent was up and George's smaller 

 over a "corduroy road?" Have you one in progress of erection. On one 

 felt each log independently as you side was our stove and stone fireplace, 

 struck it — felt it intimately and per- a clothesline and table, our dining- 

 sonally ? Have you been driven by a room and kitchen combined, under the 

 genuine native — one of the kind with great pines. Inside the tent stood four 

 whiskers before and behind,, so you posts, forked like sling-shots, through 

 couldn't tell whether he was coming the forks of which were laid poles, and 

 or going? But I want to say right across the poles were green boards, 

 here that the native could drive. Over split on the spot by our guide. They 

 ditches and down rocks, around cor- constituted our springs. Great arm- 

 ners and through ruts. I doubt if an fuls of hay made a mattress, heavy 

 expert driver of civilization would at- blankets were the bedding, and boat 

 tempt, or even dare attempt, that road cushions the pillows. It was now my 

 back to the hotel. turn to add my part and while the sup- 

 Within a couple of days a guide per was cooking, I spread a pink mos- 

 turned up and then began an experi- quito netting over the four posts, hung 

 ence I would not have missed, so full a mirror on a tent pole, covered the 

 was it of amusement, happiness and pillows with unbleached muslin, turned 

 danger. My one regret is that we had a box sideways, the top to serve as a 

 broken our camera on the way up and dresser and the inside as a medicine 

 so lost many, to us at least, valuable chest. On our steamer trunk I placed 

 pictures. books, magazines, a case of ammuni- 

 We drove to a place called "Part- tion and — a box of candy. In the cor- 

 ridge Point." An ideal spot. ner I stacked our guns and hung coats, 

 It was a bit of peninsula, with one hats and raincoats on scattered nails, 

 wagon road, a narrow river before us Then we sat down in our wooded din- 



