bound our logs together. As the pine-wood was heavy, we formed
a platform on the top of the logs with smaller poles and lighter
branches, interwoven, and bound together as tightly as we considered
necessary for the easy voyage we proposed to undertake.

[Illustration: THE LAKE AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.]

We were, it must be understood, at the north-east end of the lake. On
the west side was the promontory which we hoped to reach, and beyond it
a deep gulf ran up the shore, the farther end of which we could not
distinguish.

Some hours were passed in constructing the raft. We had then to cut out
the paddles, a long oar to steer by, and also the mast and yard. These,
although they were very roughly formed, occupied us some time longer, so
that it was late in the day before we were ready to commence our voyage.
We calculated, however, that we should have no difficulty in getting
across before sundown; and as the evening promised to be calm and
beautiful, we expected to have a pleasant passage. The wind, too, was
favourable, blowing from the eastward, and would help us
along,--although, as it was very light, we must be prepared to use our
paddles.

The raft had been built in the water, so that all we had to do was to
step on board, set our sail, and shove off. "Away we go!" cried Manley,
giving a shove with the steering oar, and we glided off from the shore.

Sergeant Custis quickly set the sail, which, as we got a little way on,
blew out with the breeze. He and I then plied the paddles. We appeared
to be making fair progress, too, although the raft moved but slowly. But
the wind soon dying away, we had our paddles alone to depend on. Manley
tried to scull with the oar, but he was not an adept at the art, and it
did not help us much. When we watched the shore we had left, we saw that
we had made some progress; but when we looked ahead towards the side of
the lake we wished to reach, it appeared no nearer than when we stood on
the shore we had left, while the mountains rose towering up above our
heads as gigantic as ever. The sun had already disappeared beyond the
pine-clad heights to the west, leaving the valley in rapidly increasing
shade.

"I doubt, Ralph, whether we shall set foot on shore much before
midnight, unless we move at a faster rate than we are now doing," said
Manley.

I agreed with him; observing, however, that a moonlight voyage on that
calm lake would be pleasant in the extreme, and a thing to be
remem