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outfit； he stared at it aghast； then looked at Vandam； and
together they roared。 There was everything for light housekeeping
and heavy doctoring； even chairs； a wash stand； a mirror； a
mortar； and a pestle。 Six canoes could scarcely have carried the
lot。
〃'Tain't so much the young man as his mother；〃 explained Big
Pete； 〃at first I tried to make 'em understand； but it was no
use； so I says； 'All right； go ahead； as long as there's room in
the warehouse。' I reckon I'll set on the fence and have some fun
seein' Rolf ontangle the affair。〃
〃Phew； pheeeww ph…e…e…e…e…w；〃 was all Rolf could say in
answer。 But at last； 〃Wall； there's always a way。 I sized him up
as pretty level headed。 We'll see。〃
There was a way and it was easy； for； in a secret session； Rolf；
Pete； and Van Cortlandt together sorted out the things needed。 A
small tent； blankets； extra clothes； guns； ammunition； delicate
food for three months； a few medicines and toilet articles a
pretty good load for one canoe； but a trifle compared with the
mountain of stuff piled up on the floor。
〃Now； Mr。 van Cortlandt；〃 said Rolf； 〃will you explain to your
mother that we are going on with this so as to travel quickly；
and will send back for the rest as we need it？〃
A quiet chuckle was now heard from Big Pete。 〃Good！ I wondered
how he'd settle it。〃
The governor and his lady saw them off； therefore； there was a
crowd。 The mother never before had noted what a frail and
dangerous thing a canoe is。 She cautioned her son never to
venture out alone； and to be sure that he rubbed his chest with
the pectoral balm she had made from such and such a famous
receipt； the one that saved the life but not the limb of old
Governor Stuyvesant； and come right home if you catch a cold； and
wait at the first camp till the other things come； and （in a
whisper） keep away from that horrid red Indian with the knife；
and never fail to let every one know who you are； and write
regularly； and don't forget to take your calomel Monday；
Wednesday； and Friday； alternating with Peruvian bark Tuesday；
Thursday； and Saturday； and squills on Sunday； except every other
week； when he should devote Tuesdays； Fridays； and Sundays to
rhubarb and catnip tea； except in the full moon； when the catnip
was to be replaced with graveyard bergamot and the squills with
opodeldoc in which an iron nail had been left for a week。
So Henry was embraced； Rolf was hand…shaken； Quonab was nodded
at； Skookum was wisely let alone； and the trim canoe swung from
the dock。 Amid hearty cheers； farewells； and 〃God speed ye's〃 it
breasted the flood for the North。
And on the dock； with kerchief to her eyes； stood the mother；
weeping to think that her boy was going far； far away from his
home and friends in dear； cultured； refined Albany； away； away；
to that remote and barbarous inaccessible region almost to the
shore land of Lake Champlain。
Chapter 58。 Back to Indian Lake
Young Van Cortlandt； six feet two in his socks and thirty… four
inches around the chest； was； as Rolf long afterward said； 〃awful
good raw material； but awful raw。〃 Two years out of college；
half of which had been spent at the law； had done little but
launch him as a physical weakling and a social star。 But his
mental make…up was more than good； it was of large promise。 He
lacked neither courage nor sense； and the course he now followed
was surely the best for man…making。
Rolf never realized how much a farmer…woodman…
canoeman…hunter…camper had to know； until now he met a man who
did not know anything； nor dreamed how many wrong ways there were
of doing a job； till he saw his new companion try it。
There is no single simple thing that is a more complete measure
of one's woodcraft than the lighting of a fire。 There are a dozen
good ways and a thousand wrong ones。 A man who can light thirty
fires on thirty successive days with thirty matches or thirty
sparks from flint and steel is a graduated woodman； for the feat
presupposes experience of many years and the skill that belongs
to a winner。
When Quonab and Rolf came back from taking each a load over the
first little portage； they found Van Cortlandt getting ready for
a fire with a great； solid pile of small logs； most of them wet
and green。 He knew how to use flint and steel； because that was
the established household way of the times。 Since childhood had
he lighted the candle at home by this primitive means。 When his
pile of soggy logs was ready； he struck his flint； caught a spark
on the tinder that is always kept on hand； blew it to a flame；
thrust in between two of the wet logs； waited for all to blaze
up； and wondered why the tiny blaze went out at once； no matter
how often he tried。
When the others came back； Van Cortlandt remarked： 〃It doesn't
seem to burn。〃 The Indian turned away in silent contempt。 Rolf
had hard work to keep the forms of respect； until the thought
came： 〃I suppose I looked just as big a fool in his world at
Albany。〃
〃See；〃 said he； 〃green wood and wet wood won't do； but yonder is
some birch bark and there's a pine root。〃 He took his axe and cut
a few sticks from the root； then used his knife to make a
sliver…fuzz of each； one piece； so resinous that it would not
whittle； he smashed with the back of the axe into a lot of
matchwood。 With a handful of finely shredded birch bark he was
now quite ready。 A crack of the flint a blowing of the spark
caught on the tinder from the box； a little flame that at once
was magnified by the birch bark； and in a minute the pine
splinters made a sputtering fire。 Quonab did not even pay Van
Cortlandt the compliment of using one of his logs。 He cut a
growing poplar； built a fireplace of the green logs around the
blaze that Rolf had made； and the meal was ready in a few
minutes。
Van Cortlandt was not a fool； merely it was all new to him。 But
his attention was directed to fire…making now； and long before
they reached their cabin he had learned this； the first of the
woodman's arts he could lay and light a fire。 And when； weeks
later； he not only made the flint fire； but learned in emergency
to make the rubbing stick spark； his cup of joy was full。 He felt
he was learning。
Determined to be in everything； now he paddled all day； at first
with vigour； then mechanically； at last feebly and painfully。
Late in the afternoon they made the first long portage； it was a
quarter mile。 Rolf took a hundred pounds； Quonab half as much
more； Van Cortlandt tottered slowly behind with his pill…kit and
his paddle。 That night； on his ample mattress； he slept the sleep
of utter exhaustion。 Next day he did little and said nothing。 It
came on to rain； he raised a huge umbrella and crouched under it
till the storm was over。 But the third day he began to show signs
of new life； and before they reached the Schroon's mouth； on the
fifth day； his young frame was already responding to the elixir
of the hills。
It was very clear that they could not take half of the stuff that
they had cached at the Schroon's mouth； so that a new adjustment
was needed and still a cache to await another trip。
That night as they sat by their sixth camp fire； Van Cortlandt
pondered over the recent days； and they seemed many since he had
left home。 He felt much older and stronger。 He felt not only less
strange； but positively intimate with the life； the river； the
canoe； and his comrades； and； pleased with his winnings； he laid
his hand on Skookum； slumbering near； only to arouse in response
a savage growl； as that important animal arose and moved to the
other side of the fire。 Never did small dog give tall man a more
deliberate snub。 〃You can't do that with Skookum； you must wait
till he's ready；〃 said Rolf。
The journey up the Hudson with its 〃mean〃 waters and its
〃carries〃 was much as before。 Then they came to the eagle's nest
and the easy waters of Jesup's River； and without important
incident they landed at the cabin。 The feeling of 〃home again〃
spread over the camp and every one was gay。
Chapter 59。 Van Cortlandt's Drugs
AIN'T ye feelin' all right？〃 said Rolf； one bright； calomel
morning； as he saw Van Cortlandt pre… paring his daily physic。
〃Why； yes； I'm feeling fine； I'm better every day；〃 was the
jovial reply。
〃Course I don't know； but my mother used to say： 'Med'cine's the
stuff makes a sick man well； an' a well man sick。〃'
〃My mother and your mother would have fought at sight； as you may
judge。 B…u…t；〃 he added with reflective slowness； and a merry
twinkle in his eye； 〃if things were to be judged by their
product； I am afraid your mother would win easily；〃 and he laid
his long； thin； scrawny hand beside the broad； strong hand of the
growing youth。
〃Old Sylvanne wasn't far astray when he said： 'There aren't any
sick； 'cept them as thinks they are；〃' said R