sible, unless we take the morning's
calm."

I saw Muir's eyes light up with a peculiar meaning as he glanced
quickly at me across the table. He knew the leading strings I was in;
how those well-meaning D.D.s and their motherly wives thought they had a
special mission to suppress all my self-destructive proclivities toward
dangerous adventure, and especially to protect me from "that wild Muir"
and his hare-brained schemes of mountain climbing.

"Where is it?" I asked, as we met behind the pilot house a moment later.

He pointed to a little group of jagged peaks rising right up from where
we stood--a pulpit in the center of a vast rotunda of magnificent
mountains. "One of the finest viewpoints in the world," he said.

"How far to the highest point?"

"About ten miles."

"How high?"

"Seven or eight thousand feet."

That was enough. I caught the D.D.s with guile. There were Stickeen
Indians there catching salmon, and among them Chief Shakes, who our
interpreter said was "The youngest but the headest Chief of all." Last
night's palaver had whetted the appetites of both sides for more. On the
part of the Indians, a talk with these "Great White Chiefs from
Washington" offered unlimited possibilities for material favor; and to
the good divines the "simple faith and childlike docility" of these
children of the forest were a constant delight. And then how well their
high-flown compliments and flowery metaphors would sound in article and
speech to the wondering East! So I sent Stickeen Johnny, the
interpreter, to call the natives to another _hyou wawa_ (big talk) and,
note-book in hand, the doctors "went gayly to the fray." I set the
speeches a-going, and then slipped out to join the impatient Muir.

"Take off your coat," he commanded, "and here's your supper."

Pocketing two hardtacks apiece we were off, keeping in shelter of house
and bush till out of sight of the council-house and the flower-picking
ladies. Then we broke out. What a matchless climate! What sweet,
lung-filling air! Sunshine that had no weakness in it--as if we were
springing plants. Our sinews like steel springs, muscles like India
rubber, feet soled with iron to grip the rocks. Ten miles? Eight
thousand feet? Why, I felt equal to forty miles and the Matterhorn!

"Eh, mon!" said Muir, lapsing into the broad Scotch he was so fond of
using when enjoying himself, "ye'll see the sicht o' yer life the day.
Ye'll get that'll be o' mair use till ye than a