The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-07-01
SMUGGLER'S NOTCH.

It was the GLORIOUS Fourth" and
surely never was more glorious sum-
mer sky spread over the little New
Hampshire village, nesting among the
lofty mountains which separate north
ern New Hampshire from the Dominion
of Canada. The sun shone with that
sparkling brilliancy which seems pecul-
lar TO those northern ATTITUDES and the
wind blew softly from the south, laden
with the delicious odor Of mountain
balsams.
Il say, Tom, exclaimed Alec Bundy
to his companion, Tom Powers, this
is too fine a day 10 spend hanging
around the village. We've used up
about all our fireworks except the giant
crackers. and we don't want to be in a
hurry about setting them off. Let's take
a tramp in the woods -
''All right" replied Tom eagerly.
But where shall we go?'
Lets climb old Baldtop."
"Hurrah that's the idea! And say
Alec, let's take the giant firecrackers
along and wake the echoes from the old
peak "
Good for your' cried Alec. "That's
just what We'll do.
1t was early i'll the afternoon when
the boys started for Baldtop mountain.
They were soon i'll the woods at the
mountains base, where the giant frs
seemed 10 extend their arms in welcome
and the pines TO whisper friendly greet
ings Both boys sang and whistled mer-
rily. 1t was so pleasant TO have holt
day III 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 pro-
truding roots of the trees. Now and
then they came TO an open space and
rested for moment, viewing the beau
tiful scene spread out before them-hills
stretching away on every side, clothed
to their very SUBMITS with evergreens,
while here and there i'll the valley a lit
tie lake or pond nestled like silver is
land in an emerald sea-
Finally they came to a dim footpath
leading off to the left along narrow
ridge Of land. Alec turned to Tom.
Suppose you sit down here for few
minutes and wait for me- he said Il
want to see where this path goes to-
Then, if should get lost, your shouts
will guide me back ="
To,,, x.-oC tho los, ct,,rJx- 1ol 90 ti,o
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 dense
clump of frs into deep ravine. Alec
scrambled down among the rocks.
This is getting rather interesting, he
muttered TO himself. Il wonder what
can have made this path. I'm going to
follow it little farther anyway.
Narrower and darker grew the pass
and higher and sleeper its sides as the
boy advanced, until, suddenly rounding
a large projecting rock, he found him
self in the presence Of four rough look
ing men seated about a campfire. In an
instant, but too late for retreat, it flash
ed over him that this was the famous
Smuggler's notch, rocky mountain
pass between northern New Hampshire
and Canada, and that these rough char
acters before him were smugglers en-
gagged in one of their secret expeditions
between Canada and the States. He
would have drawn back quickly out of
sight, but the men had already seen
him, and with shout they surrounded
him and made him their prisoner.
Meanwhile Tom was getting restless
and somewhat anxious at Alecs pro-
longed absence. He began TO shout with
all the power Of his lungs, but his voice
died away in the silence. bringing no
answer. II am afraid something has
happened to Alec" he thought. 81
must go and hunt him up.
Taking the bunch of giant firecrack-
ers 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