Evening journal., 1905-03-30

drownded. Iney nev tneIr urouvies an
they talk bout 'em too"
"What do they file their saws forf"
/ inquired.
"Well. ye know" said he. where they
live the timber's thick an they hev
hard work clearin' t mex home.o
was getting too sleepy for further
talk. He made his way from field to
field. stopping sometimes to look Off at
the distant mountains and then at the
sky or TO whnck the dry stalks Of mul.
len with his cane. / remember he let
down some bars after a long walk and
stepped into smooth roadway. He
stood resting a little while, his basket on
the top bar, and then the moon that
had been watching went down behind
the broad rim OF his hat and fell into
utter forgetfulness. My eyes opened
on a lovely scene at daylight Uncle
Eb had laid me on a mossy knoll in a
bit OF timber and through an opening
right I'm front Of us / could see broad
level OF shining water, and the great
/ green mountain on the farther shore
seemed to be up to its belly in the sea.
Hello there" said Uncle Eb. Here
we are at Lake Champlain."
could hear the flre cracking and
smell the odor Of sleeping tea.
"Ye Topped round like a fish in thet
/ basket" said Uncle Eb. Guess We
must "a been dreamin' o bears Jump
ed so ye scairt me. Didn't know but
, I had a wheat on my shoulders"
Uncle Eb had taken a fish line out OF
his pocket and was tying it to rude
pole that he had cut and trimmed with
his jackknife.
"1've found some crawhsh here" he
said. "an' I'm goin' T. try FER bite on
the pint O. rocks there"
"Goin' T. git some fish, Uncle EbY" I
inquired.
Wouldn't say't I was er wouldn't
say't wasn't" he answered. "Jes' 60
in { try"
Uncle Eb was always careful not to
commit himself on a doubtful point
He had fixed his hook and sinker in a
moment, and then we went out on a
rocky point near by and threw of into
the deep water suddenly Uncle Eb
gave a jerk that brought a groan out
Of him and then let his hook go down
again, his hands trembling, bis face
severe.
"By mighty! Uncle Eb," he mutter-
ed to himself, Il thought we he'd him
thet time"
He jerked again presently. and then
I could see tug on the line that made
me jump. A big fish came thrashing
into the air In a minute. He tried to
swing it ashore. but the pole bent, and
the fish got a fresh hold Of the water
and took the end of the pole under.
Uncle Eb gave it a lift then that
brought it ashore, and a good bit OF
water with it. l remember how the
fish slapped me with its wet tail and
sprinkled my face shaking itself be-
tween my boots. 1t was a big bass,
and in a little while we had three Of
them. Uncle Eb dressed them and laid
them over the fire on a gridiron OF
green birch, sailing them as they cook
ed. remember they went with a fine
relish, and the last OF our eggs and
bread and butter went with them.
Our breakfast over, Uncle Eb made
me promise TO stay with Fred and the
basket while he went away TO find a
man who could row us across. In about
an hour / heard a boat coming, and the
dog and / went out on the point OF
rocks, where we saw Uncle Eb and an
other man heading for us, half over the
cove The bow bumped the rocks be
meath us in minute. Then the stran.
ger dropped his oars and stood staring
at me and the dog
T cant go no further There's a reward
offered fer you an thet boy"
Uncle Eb called him aside and was
talking to him a long time.
never knew what was said, but they
came at last and took us into the boat
and the stranger was very friendly.
When we had come near the landing
on the York state" side, l remember
he gave us our bearings
keep e the woods" he said, "till
you're out q harms way. Don't 20
near the stage road fer awhile. Yen
, find a store a little way up the noun.
tain. Git yer provisions there, an about
eighty rod further yen strike the trail
Itll take ye over the mountain north
an t. Paradise road. Then take the
white church on yer right shoulder an
go straight west"
would not have remembered it SO
well but for the fact that Uncle Eb
wrote It all down in his account book,
and that has helped me over many a
slippery place in my memory Of those
events. At the store we got some crack
ers and cheese, tea and coffee, dried
beef and herring, a bit Of honey and a
loaf Of bread that was sliced and but
tered before it was done up We were
of IL the woods by o'clock, according
TO Uncle Eb's diary. and l remember
the trail led us into thick brush, where
! had TO get out and walk long way.
II was smooth underfoot, however, and
, at noon we came to a slash in the tim
Der full of briers that were all aglow
} with big blackberries. We filled our
! hats with them, and Uncle Eb found a
spring, beside which we built fire and
, had a memorable meal that made me
, glad Of my hunger.
Then we spread the oilcloth and lay
} down for another sleep. We could see
the glow OF the setting sun through the
tree tops when we woke and began