have done. But the slope of the land told them which way to go, and the
freedom from underbrush made it possible for them to travel in a
comparatively straight line. So they reached the crest of the mountain,
after a stiff climb, not far from the spot which they had selected.

The summit was sparsely timbered and they had no difficulty either in
finding their landmarks or in mapping out their way down the farther slope
and across the valley to the gap beyond. This second valley was also well
timbered. In the middle of this second valley another fine brook flowed.
And here they rested and had a bite to eat, with a cold drink from the
stream. Then they filled the canteen again and pressed on. The afternoon
was well advanced before they had climbed through the pass and reached the
valley that was to be their home for the next few days.

Like the valley in which they had met the forester, this bottom contained
some wonderful pines, though it was really a mixed stand of timber with
hardwoods beneath and the pine tops rising high above them. There were
countless numbers of these mammoth pines that towered a hundred to a
hundred and twenty-five feet in air. The hardwoods, though shut out from
some of the light, were also wonderful for size and vigor. It was a
splendid example of a "two-storied-forest." The resulting shade was so
dense that it was like twilight at the ground level. And the stream that
went rushing among the trees was a joy to behold. Deep, dark, crystal
clear, and almost as cold as ice, it was an ideal haunt for trout.

By the time they reached it, Charley had recovered his spirits. "Oh boy!"
he cried, when they reached the margin of the run. "Look at this brook."
As he stopped and dipped his hand in the water, he added, "It's cold
enough to freeze a fellow. Thank goodness, there isn't any underbrush
here. We won't have to wade. I'll wager this place is full of fish."