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mill had stood at the foot of the little valley； and a ruinous stone dam still
held the water in a deep； quiet pond between two round hills。 Above it a
brook ran down through the woods； and below； with a pleasant musical
sound； the water dripped over the mossy stone lips of the dam and fell into
the rocky pool below。 Nature had long ago healed the wounds of men； she
had half…covered the ruined mill with verdure； had softened the stone walls
of the dam with mosses and lichens； and had crept down the steep hillside
and was now leaning so far out over the pool that she could see her
reflection in the quiet water。
Near the upper end of the pond I found a clear white sand…bank； where
no doubt a thousand fishermen had stood； half hidden by the willows； to
cast for trout in the pool below。 I intended merely to drink and moisten my
face； but as I knelt by the pool and saw my reflection in the clear water
wanted something more than that！ In a moment I had thrown aside my bag
and clothes and found myself wading naked into the water。
It was cold！ I stood a moment there in the sunny air； the great world
open around me； shuddering； for I dreaded the plungeand then with a run；
a shout and a splash I took the deep water。 Oh； but it was fine！ With long；
deep strokes I carried myself fairly to the middle of the pond。 The first
chill was succeeded by a tingling glow； and I can convey no idea whatever
of the glorious sense of exhilaration I had。 I swam with the broad front
stroke； I swam on my side； head half submerged； with a deep under stroke；
and I rolled over on my back and swam with the water lapping my chin。
Thus I came to the end of the pool near the old dam； touched my feet on
the bottom； gave a primeval whoop； and dove back into the water again。 I
have rarely experienced keener physical joy。 After swimming thus
boisterously for a time； I quieted down to long； leisurely strokes；
conscious of the water playing across my shoulders and singing at my ears；
and finally； reaching the centre of the pond； I turned over on my back and；
paddling lazily； watched the slow procession of light clouds across the
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sunlit openings of the trees above me。 Away up in the sky I could see a
hawk slowly swimming about （in his element as I was in mine）； and nearer
at hand； indeed fairly in the thicket about the pond； I could hear a wood…
thrush singing。
And so； shaking the water out of my hair and swimming with long and
leisurely strokes； I returned to the sand…bank； and there； standing in a spot
of warm sunshine； I dried myself with the towel from my bag。 And I said
to myself：
〃Surely it is good to be alive at a time like this！〃
Slowly I drew on my clothes； idling there in the sand； and afterward I
found an inviting spot in an old meadow where I threw myself down on
the grass under an apple…tree and looked up into the shadowy places in the
foliage above me。 I felt a delicious sense of physical well…being； and I was
pleasantly tired。
So I lay thereand the next thing I knew； I turned over； feeling cold
and stiff； and opened my eyes upon the dusky shadows of late evening。 I
had been sleeping for hours！
The next few minutes （or was it an hour or eternity？）； I recall as
containing some of the most exciting and； when all is said； amusing
incidents in my whole life。 And I got quite a new glimpse of that
sometimes bumptious person known as David Grayson。
The first sensation I had was one of complete panic。 What was I to do？
Where was I to go？
Hastily seizing my bagand before I was half awakeI started rapidly
across the meadow； in my excitement tripping and falling several times in
the first hundred yards。 In daylight I have no doubt that I should easily
have seen a gateway or at least an opening from the old meadow； but in
the fast…gathering darkness it seemed to me that the open field was
surrounded on every side by impenetrable forests。 Absurd as it may seem；
for no one knows what his mind will do at such a moment； I recalled
vividly a passage from Stanley's story of his search for Livingstone； in
which he relates how he escaped from a difficult place in the jungle by
KEEPING STRAIGHT AHEAD。
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I print these words in capitals because they seemed written that night
upon the sky。 KEEPING STRAIGHT AHEAD； I entered the forest on one
side of the meadow （with quite a heroic sense of adventure）； but scraped
my shin on a fallen log and ran into a tree with bark on it that felt like a
gigantic currycomband stopped！
Up to this point I think I was still partly asleep。 Now； however； I
waked up。
〃All you need；〃 said I to myself in my most matter…of…fact tone； 〃is a
little cool sense。 Be quiet now and reason it out。〃
So I stood there for some moments reasoning it out； with the result that
I turned back and found the meadow again。
〃What a fool I've been！〃 I said。 〃Isn't it perfectly plain that I should
have gone down to the pond； crossed over the inlet； and reached the road
by the way I came？〃
Having thus settled my problem； and congratulating myself on my
perspicacity； I started straight for the mill…pond； but to my utter
amazement； in the few short hours while I had been asleep； that entire
body of water had evaporated； the dam had disappeared； and the stream
had dried up。 I must certainly present the facts in this remarkable case to
some learned society。
I then decided to return to the old apple…tree where I had slept； which
now seemed quite like home； but； strange to relate； the apple…tree had also
completely vanished from the enchanted meadow。 At that I began to
suspect that in coming out of the forest I had somehow got into another
and somewhat similar old field。 I have never had a more confused or eerie
sensation； not fear； but a sort of helplessness in which for an instant I
actually began to doubt whether it was I myself； David Grayson； who
stood there in the dark meadow； or whether I was the victim of a
peculiarly bad dream。 I suppose many other people have had these
sensations under similar conditions； but they were new to me。
I turned slowly around and looked for a light； I think I never wanted so
much to see some sign of human habitation as I did at that moment。
What a coddled world we live in； truly。 That being out after dark in a
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meadow should so disturb the very centre of our being！ In all my life；
indeed； and I suppose the same is true of ninety…nine out of a hundred of
the people in America to…day； I had never before found myself where
nothing stood between nature and me； where I had no place to sleep； no
shelter for the nightnor any prospect of finding one。 I was infinitely less
resourceful at that moment than a rabbit； or a partridge； or a gray squirrel。
Presently I sat down on the ground where I had been standing； with a
vague fear （absurd to look back upon） that it； too； in some manner might
slip away from under me。 And as I sat there I began to have familiar
gnawings at the pit of my stomach； and I remembered that； save for a
couple of Mrs。 Clark's doughnuts eaten while I was sitting on the hillside；
ages ago； I had had nothing since my early breakfast。
With this thought of my predicamentand the glimpse I had of myself
〃hungry and homeless〃the humour of the whole situation suddenly came
over me； and； beginning with a chuckle； I wound up； as my mind dwelt
upon my recent adventures； with a long； loud； hearty laugh。
As I laughedand what a roar it made in that darkness！I got up on
my feet and looked up at the sky。 One bright star shone out over the woods；
and in high heavens I could see dimly the white path of the Milky Way。
And all at once I seemed again to be in command of myself and of the
wo