Page:Boy scouts in the White Mountains; the story of a long hike (IA boyscoutsinwhite00eato).pdf/40

 did a great many other people. There were many motors and mountain wagons waiting to carry off the new arrivals. The boys, at Art's suggestion, let these get out of the way before they started, so the dust would have a chance to settle. It was late in the afternoon when they finally set out.

"How far have we got to go?" asked Frank.

"Seven or eight miles," Mr. Rogers answered, "if we want to camp at the base of Kinsman. If you'd rather walk it in the morning, we can camp along this road."

"No, let's get there to-night! Don't care if I starve, I'm going to keep on till I see the mountains," cried Peanut.

The rest were equally eager, so up the road they plodded, a road which mounted steadily through second growth timber, mile after mile, with scarce a house on it. After an hour or more, they came in sight of Sugar Hill village, one street of houses straggling up a hill ahead. They increased their pace, and soon Peanut, who was leading, gave a cry which startled several people walking on the sidewalk. The rest hurried up. Peanut had come to the top of the road, and was looking off eastward excitedly. There were the mountains! Near at hand, hardly a stone's throw, it seemed, across the valley below, lay a long, forest-clad bulwark, rising into domes. Beyond that shot up a larger rampart,