The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-08-22
By Wanda Won KettIcr

This was To be our last day nj
Mystic lake. Whit. the packer.
with Frerlties and the other two
horses. was scheduled 90 come
that night and 10 carry our be-
Iongings next day back toward
civilization.
We had planned 20 visit Mystic
lake cabin on that. our last day. Yet
the visit would not take n great deal
of time. since the cabin WAS not more
than one. half mile from camp.
We decided 70 play around camp
thru the morning And we'd no more
than come % tho decision than Oscar
announced that he intended 70 climb
Mineral mountain.
so Osrar climbed Mineral
mountain alone. The rest Of M
had firmly made up our minds
90 convince The hills and tbe
tr~rs that We could do other
things besides wander In nj meal
time and sleep. We'd planned to
yisit the creek with bar % soap
and all the stray dlshiowcls and
belongings that needed bath.
And We did 80. Even Max and
Georges got down on their knees
above the creek that morning and
washed out wool nox as tho they'd
been handling the suda for a living
nun foua moons.
Well. we'd just draped tho green
fir. that stood before tho tent and
that vivid chosen 10 call the laundry
tree. with all tho wet dish towels
when a sound unlike anything that
any OF un bad ever heard came 20
ua from over the hills. II WINS n
sound that was strained and high.
Yet !; could not ~ described. II was
jrsi awful And Il came from tho
souih--es,en. We believed. from Min.
efAl mountain. We thought OF Oscar
and wondered II Il had anything 10
do with him.
0ne hour and half later that
individual sialked back into
camp and We were much re-
firsed
said he 10 us. beamlnx bliss
fully. We'll. did you hesr mey"
ss,Nas--it--yous'' said we. afraid
TO believe. "was--it--"
"Nes." Oscar told us with
pride. Il WIS ysdeling. ! don't
think I ever yodeIrd before. hut
It's simple"
We Just handed him piece Of
bareback and a handful Of raislns.
telling him that the rest Of us. hav.
ing partAken OF feed. were waiting
20 start for this cabin. which wasn't
quite true. because not quite AL Of
us WEIR going 20 the cahsn. u had
been discovered that morning. dur.
ing our msanderings about camp,
thas something like two pounds Of
sugar were going TO ~ left over al
the end Of ilw trip. which gave Mrn.
Georges the wonderful idea. Why
not IL; her and Georges stay IN
camp that afternoon and make
fudge7 II would he so good to have
that las; night around the campfire
And. besides. she really hadn't had
much chance VI 20 show Georges
how abe could cook.
We decided TO grant Georges this
opportunity 10 thrill over his pros
pccilve fudge diet. 10 turned the cs
ira two pounds and the camp kitchen
over 20 the Georges family for tiss
afternoon.
Then OF 20 the cabin. And we
reached u finally by going all
The way around the lake. Not
that we had 10 60 that way. but
We knew that this was our last
chance Go sec the little lake In
which we'd splsshed two or three
day. before. Under the FIR trees
we went again and along the
green banks uniii we had almost
strcicd The clear. silent smooth.
ness II the mystic pond. Then
up n winding trail.
After quarter OF a mile thru this
trees that trail found It's way 20 this
cabin. Just a little shanty affair
that cabin. perched up on grassy
mound. A few small biosches Of
snow. now melting fast. lay scattered
upon the grass about a. The cabin
shanty was gray. with great pieces
broken from tho boards OF ia sides
and roof