Page:A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers.djvu/252

246 repairing the locks in a solitary part of the river. They were interested in our adventures, especially one young man of our own age, who inquired at first if we were bound up to Skeag," and when he had heard our story, and examined our outfit, asked us other questions, but temperately still, and always turning to his work again, though as if it were become his duty. It was plain that he would like to go with us, and as he looked up the river, many a distant cape and wooded shore were reflected in his eye, as well as in his thoughts. When we were ready he left his work, and helped us through the locks with a sort of quiet enthusiasm, telling us we were at Coos Falls, and we could still distinguish the strokes of his chisel for many sweeps after we had left him.

We wished to camp this night on a large rock in the middle of the stream, just above these falls, but the want of fuel, and the difficulty of fixing our tent firmly, prevented us; so we made our bed on the main land opposite, on the west bank, in the town of Bedford, in a retired place, as we supposed, there being no house in sight.