Page:Boy scouts in the White Mountains; the story of a long hike (IA boyscoutsinwhite00eato).pdf/71

 He selected a pool between two big stones, and went all under. The rest followed suit. There was no place deep enough to swim in, however, and they all very soon came out, and dried themselves on the bank.

"My, that makes you feel better, though!" Frank exclaimed. "Nothing like a bath on a hike to set you up!"

"I got a blister," said Peanut, who was examining his heel. "Oh, dear, who's got the first aid kit?"

Rob had it, of course, as he was always the doctor. He put some antiseptic on the blister, which had burst, dressed it, and bound it firmly across with surgeon's plaster, so the shoe could not rub it.

"You wouldn't have had it if you hadn't got your feet so wet yesterday," he said. "The leather dried stiff. Perhaps you'll behave now."

"Yes, doctor, what is your fee?" Peanut grinned.

The other five pairs of feet were all right, and the march was resumed. At noon they emerged out of the woods into a small clearing on the west side of Moosilauke. There was a tiny hotel in this clearing, and nothing else. On the right, a second, but much lower mountain, Mount Clough, went sharply up. Due south was a deep gap, like a V, between Clough and Moosilauke—the notch which led to the towns south.