Middletown transcript., 1909-12-04
A Surveyors Predicament
:.:-.::;:=:;s ::;::;s
BY AtBERT ". TotMAN

now and then we ran across some
of them. The ram didn't offer to
attack us, but kept 8 suspicious
eye on our movements he seem
ed to feel That the guardianship
Of that Neck was especially vest
ed ia him.
The second night found US
dead tired, and almost a mile
from Camp Grant. We concluded
not to 60 back for supper, but to
eat where We were and then turn
in. We built a little shack in the
spruces, munched a few crackers
and drank from the brook, and
then spread our hlsnkers on a
soft bed Of twigs, hrst smearing
hands and faces with tar and
penny royal ointment to keep of
the mosquitoes.
There was touch of autumn
in the air that night and a north.
erly breeze set the spruce tops
swaying. The sky had that
beautiful green tinge which you
see only when it is very clear;
and as dusk fell the northern
lights began to simmer. Now
and then a sheep bleated mourn.
fully. From Camp Grant came
laughter and singing, mingled
with the tink-tink, pinky-pinky-
punk of banjos. The sounds
lulled US to sleep.
Hi, Mac! Hi! Hi! Jack was
shaking me.
woke, coughing. The air was
choky and sitting with smoke.
Springing up, Issw that the sky
was slight to the north. The
wind, which was now blowing
strongly, brought to US a Pc
culiar rushing and cracking. 1t
was the sweep of fire through the
dry evergreens. Something,
possibly q spark from the
camp ch himney, had set the
whole Neck atiame to windward.
We were directly in the~patb
Of the conaagration, with a mile
of woods behind US and on each
side. The only thing for us to
do was to strike straight for the |
sea, which, though we had not
yet surveyed the lower part Of
the Neck, We knew lay only half
a mile south.
1t was high time to be up and
off, for the fire was coming down
at the rate Of several miles al
hour; but We must save our out
tit, if possibles Ny compass
was worth thirty-hve dollars, too
much to throw away. I wrapped
it in my blanket. It weighed
about fifteen pounds.
Take the ak, chain and staff,
Jack cried. Quick We've no
time to lose!
Jack gathered up his load and
We started south on the run. The
woods were fairly open and We
made good progress. The smoke
blew over Us. Louder and louder
behind came the rush Of the fire
through the evergreens. Down
to the brook We hurried, spash.
ed through it and found oursel.
YES in cedar swamp.
If you've ever been in such a
place youll remember the long,
bare, whip.like branches spring.
ing at right angles from the trees.
How they lashed and stung our
faces! We pushed on as fast as
we could, stepping in mucky
pools and on clumps Of ill-smell.
ing skunk-cabbage. AT last we
reached dry ground again.
AS we entered small glade, I
heard q below, and a black body ,
shot toward me. It was the I
ram. He was apparently pro.
tecting the retreat of the sheep.
have no doubt he laid the fire
to us.
I lodged him, but Jack, who a
was putting behind me, received
the full benefit OF his charge. .
Over he went, bowled down like
> tenpin. He sprang up, 9
thoroughly angry, and made a
rush at the ram, an in hand. But I
the beast eluded him and disap-
peared, probably following the :
sheep through some path invisi. :,
Ole to as.
For q moment we stood confus. 8
ID. Jack was rubbing his bruises ?
md sputtering angrily. But it !.
would never do to stop there.
The smoke was now drifting over c,
IS quite thickly, though l could B
till see the sgars throughit.
Across the glade loomed a