Part 8 (1/2)

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RAINBOW LAKE

The boys were up early, excited by the prospect of a day's sport, and before the sun had rass and ready for breakfast Fro of the swift Miette below them All around them lay a wonderful mountain view--Mount Geikie on one side, and off ahead, apparently closing the valley itself, three tall white peaks which were to rise before theh, dry air of the , and all were full of life and joy when their leader at length told theht start for the hidden lake back in the hills

”How'd you happen to find that lake?” asked John ”It doesn't seem to shohere in this valley”

”We found it on the same principle as they found the Yellowhead Pass,”

said Uncle dick ”When we struck this little creek we knew it ry for trout

So we followed the creek until we discovered the lake that we call Rainbow Lake, where we are going to-day It's bad walking along the creek, however, and we'll find it o on up the valley a little way, and then cross over the high ridge to the right It's a cliood, and it's only atheir leader, they all started up the valley, each with his fishi+ng-rod in hand Soon they were e which lay between the valley and the hidden lake From time to time they stopped to catch their breath, and at such tireat mountain prospect which rose before theh ere the first to be here,” said Jesse ”You can't see the track of anybody in here”

”No,” said Uncle dick, ”no tin cans just yet, and we ht as well call ourselves the first, because we're traveling precisely as the first h here But I would like to ask you whether you discovered anything thisout of the way”

John and Jesse could not think of anything, but Rob hesitated ”I'll tell you what,” said he, ”it seems to me there must have been more than one trail up this valley At least, I've seen two this ”

”Precisely The main trail ran lower down, below our camp The other trail which you noticed cut across a low place in this ridge back of us Now that trail runs right along the side of our little lake over yonder It passes back above that lake and heads off into the mountains It's as deep and broad as the other trail, but nobody see about it It seems to strike in for the mountains soo? No one can tell you Is there another pass in there, north of Yellowhead? No one can answer that Perhaps the two trails meet somewhere between here and the Yellowhead; but if so, no one has found where That's ato follow out that trail and see where it goes

”But coe and see the trail itself by the side of the lake”

They rose now and pushed on up to the top of their steep clirowth of small pines which covered it

Their leader pushed on ahead, calling to the was very difficult on account of burned tirowth, they passed on rapidly down the farther slope, until presently they broke froe of the beautiful little reen and mirrorlike, a reat mountain walls

”Well,” said John, ”it's a beauty, sure enough”

”It certainly is,” said Jesse, ”and no tin cans of wor here, either It looks fishy, too”

”It certainly is fishy,” smiled Uncle dick; ”or it was last year, when I was in here The trout don't run so very large, but they strike well and they are ood to eat”

”What's this old hu down curiously at his feet They were standing on a rude pile of poles and sticks which extended well out into the lake

”Guess,” said Uncle dick

”I know,” said Rob at once--”beaver!”

”Right It's one of the biggest beaver-houses I ever saw in n all around this lake, but I suppose they caught the last one--ot him, or some of his Indian friends So all we'll use the old beaver-house for is as a kind of pier to stand on while we fish--the trees coet a back-cast here”

”Well,” said Jesse, ”over there to the end of the lake is a sort of point that runs out in--where it is rocky, with little trees and grass”