Where the Gray Squirrel Hides [pp. 61-70]

OVERLAND MONTHLY
NO BEATEN PATH HERE
As we start on, a jack rabbit is seen
ahead in the path. He hears us as soon as
we see him, and stops short to sit up on his
haunches and raise his long ears to make
out what is coming. It is a
far shot, but we give him
one for luck. and he bounds
away down the hillside in::i g
great leaps. Newt takes?i A
after him at the fire, but
soon discovers the nature
of the beast and comes back
w ith a great disgust in his
manner, as if to say, "Do
you take me for that kinil
of a dog?"
On the upper slopes of
the trail we hear a mufflea
boom, boom! and the Doctor
declares it is a grouse drumming. By carefully taking
the direction of the sound
we trace it to a great fir jus..
ahead, and spend much time
in trying to see the cunning bird in the
branches. At last we are convinced that there
is a mistake somewhere and that no living
thing could have escaped our long continued
gazing. Just then, away he sails from one
of the nearest branches, and we are all too
astonished to think of raising our guns,
even if we would have done it if we could.
But the description of such a walk, like
the walk itself, must end somewhere. To
tell of all the delicate flowers everywhere to
be admired, of all the trees that make the
woodland beautiful, of all the signs of wild
life in this solitude, of all the fair vistas
and delicate colorings in sky and earth,
would fill many volumes, and be as wearisome as the living reality is delightful.
At noon we return to the house, glad to
seek refuge from the heat of midday. A
generous dinner is ready, still mostlv made
of wild game of several sorts. Siesta follows, — that sensible custom of our predecessors in the land, to whom the morning
and the evening made up all their days.
By three o'clock signs of life again occur;
for the Doctor is rigging up the tackle and
overhauling his book of flies for a fishing
trip. At four we go down to the creek,
seek our separate bowers of willow greenery
which serve as dressing rooms, and array ourselves for a plunge in the cool waters.
Just a dip and a swift swim or two up and
down the deep water of the hole, perhaps
thirty yards, and we are ready to come out,
refreshed and invigorated. It is too cold to
stay in long.
FERRY ON EEL RIVER
68