ail of
milk, while one thoughtful mother sent all the pies she had in the
house. Then the good natives sat around on the grass and watched the
boys cook and eat.

[Illustration: A QUIET CAMP BY THE WAY.]

Wherever it was possible to do so, camp was pitched near water. One of
the prettiest spots found was on the shore of the Kankakee River, near
Wilmington, where the corps brought up late one afternoon after a hot
and dusty ride. Tents were never before so quickly raised, and a minute
later the quiet stream was being churned into foam by the swimmers. At
Lincoln the camp was on State property, and the boys had the use of the
National Guard's swimming pool. But this was not the only courtesy they
received at the hands of the militia. At this same Camp Lincoln the
Adjutant-General's department had provided good-sized tents for the
bicyclists, with extra blankets, and a cooking-stove, on which hot
coffee was steaming when the corps arrived. Further on in the run the
same hospitality was shown. At Streator a good-natured merchant
distributed free soda-water checks to all, and as many as each wanted.
One lady invited the cadets into her house and gave them cake and
lemonade, and had all the girls of the neighborhood in to serve it. The
notes of the "Assembly Call" were mighty unwelcome sounds that
afternoon.

But besides the fun and the exercise and healthfulness of the journey, a
good deal of useful information was absorbed. On the run out from
Chicago the road followed the line of the new drainage canal, giving all
a good opportunity to witness the blasting and the working of the giant
machine shovels. At Springfield the corps visited the Legislature, then
in session, and the home of President Lincoln. They were also received
by the Governor. At Joliet they were taken through the penitentiary, and
among other souvenirs of the place, each one carried away a piece of
striped cloth from the tailor shops. These pieces did important duty
later in the journey, most of them returning to Chicago in the form of
patches to the well worn uniforms.

On the whole the trip proved most successful, and there is not much
those boys don't know to-day about the handling of bicycles.

[Illustration: THE BICYCLE CORPS AT DRESS PARADE.]

A PILOT'S STORY.

For a number of years I have been a traveller on the North River
ferry-boats running between New York and Jersey City. One of the
pleasures of these short trips has been in my