THE EXHILARATIONS OF THE ROAD. 45 



what hard pulls, what prospects from hills, what spec- 

 tacles we would behold of night and day, what pas- 

 sages with dogs, what glances, what peeps into win- 

 dows, what characters we should fall in with, and how 

 seasoned and hardy we should arrive at our destina- 

 tion ! 



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, adven- 

 turous, half predatory couple. How quickly he falls 

 into the old ways of jest and anecdote and song! You 

 may have known him for years without having heard 

 him hum an air, or more than casually revert to the 

 subject of his experience during the war. You have 

 even questioned and cross-questioned him without fir- 

 ing the train you wished. But get him out on a vaca- 

 tion tramp, and you can walk it all out of him. By 

 the camp fire at night or swinging along the streams 

 by day, song, anecdote, adventure, 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 disguises 

 will fall away from him. As his pores open his char- 

 acter is laid bare. His deepest and most private self 



