Part 15 (2/2)

Of course. But did you like it?

Yes, I liked it all. I seem to remember getting pretty hungry sometimes, but its all rather good as I look back on it.

Lets do it!

Now?

No. Society is an enlarged family, and wouldnt like it. But this summer, when we camp.

How do you know were going to camp?

The things we know best we dont always know how we know.

Well, then,_if_ we camp

_When_ we camplets live without a watch.

Youd need one to get there.

Take one, and let it run down.

As it turned out, my when was truer than Jonathans if. We did camp.

We did, however, use watches to get there: when we expressed our baggage, when we sent our canoe, when we took the trolley car and the train; and the watch was still going as our laden craft nosed gently against the bank of the river-island that was to be our home for two weeks. It was late afternoon, and the shadows of the steep woods on the western bank had already turned the rocks in midstream from silver to gray, and dimmed the brightness of the swift water, almost to the eastern sh.o.r.e.

Will there be time to get settled before dark? I asked, as we stepped out into the shallow water and drew up the canoe to unload.

Shall I look at my watch to see? asked Jonathan, with a note of amiable derision in his voice.

Well, I _should_ rather like to know what time it is. We wont begin till to-morrow.

You mean, we wont begin to stop watching. All right. Its just seventeen and a half minutes after five. Ill give you the seconds if you like.

Minutes will do nicely, thank you.

Lots of time. You collect firewood while I get the tent ready. Then itll need us both to set it up.

We worked busily, happily. Ah! The joyous elation of the first night in camp! Is there anything like it? With days and days ahead, and not even one counted off the s.h.i.+ning number! All the good things of childhood and maturity seem pressed into one mood of flawless, abounding happiness.

By dark the tent was up, the baggage stowed, the canoe secured, the fire glowing in a bed of embers, and we sat beside it, looking out past the glooms of the hemlocks across the moonlit river,sat and ate city-cooked chicken and sandwiches and drank thermos-bottled tea.

To-morrow well cook, I said. To-night its rather nice not to have to.

Look at the moonlight on that rock! How black it makes the eddy below!

Good ba.s.s under there, said Jonathan. Well get some to-morrow.

<script>