Page:Boy scouts in the White Mountains; the story of a long hike (IA boyscoutsinwhite00eato).pdf/66

 "Moose wood," said Art. "I saw moose wood a bit further down, as we came up."

So the party plunged on, finding the steep descent quick work, the chief difficulty being not to go too fast. At the first sign of moose wood, Art gave a cry, and soon the whole party had cut staves six feet long.

"I'm going to leave this pretty green and white bark on mine, and cut my initials in it to-night," Lou announced.

"A good idea," the rest agreed.

Shouldering their packs again, they put out the staves ahead of them, threw their weight forward, and with this assistance descended with even greater rapidity and much more safety. They stopped in the Flume only long enough for a drink, and again plunged down. As they came out into the level pasture near the base, Peanut slowed down.

"Wow," he said, wiping his forehead, "that looks easy, but you really work awful hard holding in!"

"You'll know you've worked about to-morrow," Mr. Rogers laughed.

They made the four miles to the road in a little over half an hour, which, as Art said, is "going some."

It was less than eight o'clock when they faced the ten miles of road to Moosilauke.

The first thing to attract particular attention was the village of Easton, through which they passed