Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-07-20
SMUGGLER'S NOTCH.


New Hampshire village, nesting
among the lofty mountains, which
separate northern New Hampshire
from the Dominion of Canada The
sun shone with that sparkling BRILL
ancy which seems peculiar to those
northern ATTITUDES and the wind blew
softly from the south, laden with the
delicious odor of mountain balsams
81 say, Tom,'' exclaimed Alec Bum
dy to his companion, Tom Powers,
"this is too fine day to spend hang
ing around the village. "We've used
up about all our fireworks except the
giant crackers, and we don't want to
be in hurry about setting them off.
Let's take a tramp in the woods.''
"All right replied Tom eagerly.
HBut where shall we go?o
"Let's climb old Baldtop.n
"Hurrah! that's the idea! And say,
Alec, let's take the giant firecrackers
along and wake the echoes. from the
old peak"
ssGood for you'll, cried Alec ssThat's
just what we'll do.''
1t was early in the afternoon when
the boys started for Baldtop noun
tain. They were soon in the woods
at the mountains base, where the gi-
ant frs seemed to extend their arms
in welcome and to whisper friendly
greetings. Both boys sang and whistl-
ed merrily. It was SO pleasant to
have holiday in the grand old
woods.
Soon the ascent began in earnest.
There was no we'll defined path up the
mountain, and Tom and Alec had to
pick out their own course, drawing
themselves up in the steepest places
by means of the dropping limbs and
protruding roots of the trees. Now and
then they came to an open Ispace and
rested for moment, viewing the
beautiful scene spread out before
them-hills stretching away on every
side, clothed to their very SUBMITS
with evergreens, while here and there
in the valley little lake or pond
nestled like silver island in an en-
erald sea.
Finally they came to dim footpath
leading off to the left along a narrow
ridge of land. Alec turned to Tom.
Suppose you sit down here for a
few minutes and wait for me-" he
said. ST want to see where this path
leads to. Then if I should get lost,
your shouts will guide me back.n
Tom was the less sturdy lad of the
two and was glad enough of chance
to rest while his companion explored
the mysterious path.
Alec had not gone far along the
rocky ridge before the path turned
sharply and plunged down through a
dense clump of frs into deep ravine.
Alec scrambled down among the
rocks. 'sThis is getting rather inter-
esting," he muttered to himself. ST
wonder what can have made this
path. I'm going to follow it a little
farther anyway"
Narrower and darker grew the pass
and higher and sleeper it's sides as the
boy advanced, until suddenly round
ing large projecting rock, he found
himself in the presence of four rough
looking men seated about campfire.
In an instant, but too late for retreat,
it flashed over him that this was the
famous Smuggler's notch, rocky
mountain pass between northern New
Hampshire and Canada, and that the
rough characters before him were
smugglers and engaged in one of
their secret expeditions between Can
ada and the States. He would have
drawn back quickly out of sight, but
the men had already seen him, and
with a shout they surrounded him
and made him their prisoner.
Meanwhile Tom was getting rest
less and somewhat anxious at Alec's
prolonged absence. He began to
shout with all the power of his lungs,
but his voice died away in the silence,
bringing no answer. ct am afraid
something has happened to Alec" he
though. 81 must go and hunt him up.n
Taking the bunch of giant fire.
crackers in his hand, he started along
the faint path. Finally he came to
the place where the trail turned
sharply into the ravine, and here his
fears increased fourfold. What if Alec
had fallen from the cliff, or been at
tackled by some fierce animal in this
deserted glen? Tom, however, push
ed on bravely and rapidly, hoping
every moment to overtake his friend
or discover some sign that he had
passed that way. Awed by the gloom
and silence of the great ravine, he