Page:Boy scouts in the White Mountains; the story of a long hike (IA boyscoutsinwhite00eato).pdf/80

 the path they had come up for a few hundred feet, and suddenly plunged sharp to the east. They began at once to go down. Soon the path skirted the edge of a great gorge, which was like a gigantic piece of pie cut out of the mountainside, with the point toward them. The sides were almost precipitous, and covered with dense spruce.

"That's Jobildunk Ravine. Want to go down it with me, my young friend?" the man asked Peanut.

"Thanks—not till after supper," Peanut grinned.

As they were on the east side of the summit, it quickly grew dark. The man led the way unerringly, however, along a level stretch of path beside the ravine, and presently plunged into the woods. They were now below timber line. In a few moments he halted.

"Got a lantern?" he said.

Lou lighted the camp lantern, and the man showed them a spring, close to the path. "Plenty of dead wood on the trees—lower branches of those spruce," he added. "Good-night, all!"

"Oh, stay and have supper with us!" cried all the Scouts together.

"Well, since you urge, I will," said he. "Don't make me cook, though. I'm a bad cook."

"You sit down, and be company," Peanut laughed.