July 6,1901.] FOREST AND STREAM. 11 
SAIL PLAN OF RACING CANOE DESIGNED BY B. B. CROWNINSHIELD; BUILT BY W. F. STEVENS, 1901. 
rough, frowzy mat of trees and bushes along the moun- 
tain sides. 
We ran all the rapids successfully, without a bump 
or a knock, the final rush down the big rough one shoot- 
ing us far out on the smooth though swift waters of the 
Elkton dam. 
The towers of the big summer hotel at Elkton loomed 
up conspicuously above the tree^ that crowned the bluff 
on the right, as we drifted slowly down the mill pool, and 
the small white house under the bluff, with the flight of 
steps leading down to the collection of rowboats moored 
in the water beneath, "was identified as the boat house 
belonging to the hotel. 
"Commodore, it's after 6 o'clock; hadn't we better aban- 
don Bear Lithia and go into camp? It's raining again, 
too." said Lacy, as we drifted down the swift water 
and under the old, covered wagon bridge opposite Elkton, 
after portaging the dam. , 
"Well, it's only two miles further, and there's good, 
swift water all the way, and I know of no good camping 
iplace near here," I replied. 
"I move we go on; we'll get there in time enough, and 
I hate to make camp in the rain," said the Colonel, as he 
hastily drew his gossamer cape out from under his front 
hatch and prepared himself for the returning rain. 
"I say so, too," said I, as we all made haste to follow 
the Colonel's excellent example. 
"Go on it is, then," said the others. 
"This is my first experience in cruising in a rain," said 
the Colonel, as he secured a light for his pipe, the flicker- 
ing rise and fall of the match as he puffed, puffed away 
enveloping his head and face in a faint little halo of light 
through the misty rain and in the gathering twilight. 
"Is that so?" asked Lacy. "I would have supposed that 
^ou were well seasoned to all kinds of weather on camp- 
ing trips by this time." 
"Well, I am," replied the Colonel, "but it has just hap- 
pened that in my several cruises with you fellows we have 
never yet had occasion to cruise — or been caught out — in 
a rain. We have had frequent rains, but always in 
amp." 
"Yes ; I believe you are right," added George. 
"Well, how do you like it, so far as you have gone?" 
isked Lacy. "You have certainly had a pretty good 
initiation, for I don't recall in all my experience a more 
iteady rainy day." 
*'Well, it isn't bad, as traveling in rainy weather goes," 
replied the Colonel. "The protection afforded by the 
ianoes h excellent, and it is hard to see how it can be 
improved upon, and I really don't mind a rainy day now 
and then in warm weather." 
"Nor I," said Lacy. "It brings variety, and is all in 
the cruise, as the expression is." 
"I draw the line, though, at making camp in the rain," 
said I. 
"Yes; I don't fancy that myself," said the Colonel. 
Twilight was gently stealing on apace, quickened and 
intensified, and the evening shrouded and gloomed, by the 
dense, low-hanging, leaden clouds that obscured the sky, 
and shrouded the mountains and hills from view, and 
from which descended a fine, light, penetrating rain, 
through whose dense, mist-like veil even the nearer ob- 
jects — the hills and trees on the banks — ^were hazy and 
vague, while overhead the sky was blotted out, and the 
clouds merged in the leaden mist which descended from 
them. 
Enveloped in our rubbers, we sped onward as fast as 
the swiftly flowing water and good, brisk paddling would 
speed us, our destination now not far away, and it had 
become a race between us and darkness, with the points 
considerably in favor of the latter. 
Around the next bend the bluffs and headlands in the 
Bear Lithia neighborhood loomed up, vaguely visible 
through the rain and the gathering gloom, and, acting 
upon my suggestion, George produced his bugle and made- 
the air resound with some of his most piercing blasts and 
choicest discords, so as to give notice of our approach in 
case any of our Bear Lithia friends might be patiently 
waiting for us.v A light gleamed far away on a hill like a 
faint, twinkling star — it was in Naylor's house. George 
redoubled his musical exercises, and his performances on 
that bugle became something astonishing and ear-split- 
ting. 
We paddled around another little bend to the left, and 
the boulders and logs of the old, broken-out Naylor dam 
opposite Bear Lithia, which — like so many dams in this 
stream — is located in a sharp bend, and seems to be but a 
continuation of the left bank straight across the river, 
came into view. 
"There they are !" Lacy exclaimed, as through the 
fast-darkening gloom and the thick veil of steadily in- 
creasing rain we could dimly make out a little group on 
the bank, in the angle at the further end of the dam, who 
were waving handkerchiefs, umbrellas, etc., at us with 
welcoming shouts, as we paddled swiftly up to them and 
beached our catioes just above the broken-down dam. down 
over which the water roared and tumbled in a whitened 
mass, and scrambled hastily asgre, where we were 
warmly and heartily greeted by Will Compton, Tom Nay- 
lor and others. 
"We had given you up, and were half-way home when 
Naylor heard your bugle and saw your fleet on the river 
from his house, and yelled to us that you were coming," 
said Compton. 
"Yes ; that yell of mine was almost equal to a blast of 
the bugle," said Naylor, laughing. "They were over a 
quarter of a mile away." 
It was quite late, and Compton would not hear to our 
making camp, but insisted on our leaving our little fleet 
afloat just where it lay and repairing to the hotel during 
our stay. 
In view of the hour and the discouraging state of the 
weather, it didn't need much urging to induce us to 
accept his kind and hospitable invitation, so taking out 
our clothes bags, the hatches and aprons were closed and 
locked, the canoes carefully made fast to the trees on 
the bank, with ample provision against any possible rise 
in the river consequent on the day's rain, the paddles sent 
up to Naylor's house, and we all set out for the Springs 
hotels, half a rrjile away. 
We stretched our tired, cramped limbs along that 
muddy road and through the fast-falling rain with a feel- 
ing of relief and luxury, for the day's run had been a 
hard one, and we were tired ; but after we had stopped at 
the little country store and post office kept by Naylor, and 
Compton had produced a bottle of beer apiece, which was 
thankfully disposed of, and after we had reached our 
rooms, where Compton joined us with a small pitcher of 
water, some glasses, sugar and a little ice, and a decoction 
of something hot- and strong was partaken of, the prin- 
cipal ingredient of which wa's found in the mysterious 
depths of some one's clothes bag, we felt quite refreshed, 
and by the time we had ensconced ourselves in warm, dry 
clothing and had partaken of a good, hot supper in the 
hotel dining room we felt quite entirely ourselves again, 
and in good condition to enjoy our evening cigars on the 
veranda, in company with Will C. Compton, Sr., who 
happened to be spending a few days here,' and some of 
the other gentlemen guests of the place, who braved the 
dampness of the rainy night for a half-hour's chat with us 
over their cigars. 
[to be continued.] 
The Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Tuesday. 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at the 
latest by Monday and as much earlier as practicable. 
