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something he took for a tarantula； and not losing any time about it；
either。 Directly a voice in the corner rang out wild and clear：
〃I've got him！ I've got him！〃 ＇Pause； and probable change of
circumstances。＇ 〃No； he's got me！ Oh； ain't they never going to fetch a
lantern！〃
The lantern came at that moment； in the hands of Mrs。 O'Flannigan； whose
anxiety to know the amount of damage done by the assaulting roof had not
prevented her waiting a judicious interval； after getting out of bed and
lighting up； to see if the wind was done； now； up stairs； or had a larger
contract。
The landscape presented when the lantern flashed into the room was
picturesque； and might have been funny to some people； but was not to us。
Although we were perched so strangely upon boxes； trunks and beds； and so
strangely attired； too； we were too earnestly distressed and too
genuinely miserable to see any fun about it； and there was not the
semblance of a smile anywhere visible。 I know I am not capable of
suffering more than I did during those few minutes of suspense in the
dark； surrounded by those creeping； bloody…minded tarantulas。 I had
skipped from bed to bed and from box to box in a cold agony； and every
time I touched anything that was furzy I fancied I felt the fangs。 I had
rather go to war than live that episode over again。 Nobody was hurt。
The man who thought a tarantula had 〃got him〃 was mistakenonly a crack
in a box had caught his finger。 Not one of those escaped tarantulas was
ever seen again。 There were ten or twelve of them。 We took candles and
hunted the place high and low for them； but with no success。 Did we go
back to bed then？ We did nothing of the kind。 Money could not have
persuaded us to do it。 We sat up the rest of the night playing cribbage
and keeping a sharp lookout for the enemy。
CHAPTER XXII。
It was the end of August； and the skies were cloudless and the weather
superb。 In two or three weeks I had grown wonderfully fascinated with
the curious new country and concluded to put off my return to 〃the
States〃 awhile。 I had grown well accustomed to wearing a damaged slouch
hat； blue woolen shirt； and pants crammed into boot…tops； and gloried in
the absence of coat； vest and braces。 I felt rowdyish and 〃bully；〃 （as
the historian Josephus phrases it； in his fine chapter upon the
destruction of the Temple）。 It seemed to me that nothing could be so
fine and so romantic。 I had become an officer of the government； but
that was for mere sublimity。 The office was an unique sinecure。 I had
nothing to do and no salary。 I was private Secretary to his majesty the
Secretary and there was not yet writing enough for two of us。 So Johnny
K and I devoted our time to amusement。 He was the young son of an
Ohio nabob and was out there for recreation。 He got it。 We had heard a
world of talk about the marvellous beauty of Lake Tahoe； and finally
curiosity drove us thither to see it。 Three or four members of the
Brigade had been there and located some timber lands on its shores and
stored up a quantity of provisions in their camp。 We strapped a couple
of blankets on our shoulders and took an axe apiece and startedfor we
intended to take up a wood ranch or so ourselves and become wealthy。
We were on foot。 The reader will find it advantageous to go horseback。
We were told that the distance was eleven miles。 We tramped a long time
on level ground； and then toiled laboriously up a mountain about a
thousand miles high and looked over。 No lake there。 We descended on the
other side； crossed the valley and toiled up another mountain three or
four thousand miles high； apparently； and looked over again。 No lake
yet。 We sat down tired and perspiring； and hired a couple of Chinamen to
curse those people who had beguiled us。 Thus refreshed； we presently
resumed the march with renewed vigor and determination。 We plodded on；
two or three hours longer； and at last the Lake burst upon usa noble
sheet of blue water lifted six thousand three hundred feet above the
level of the sea； and walled in by a rim of snow…clad mountain peaks that
towered aloft full three thousand feet higher still！ It was a vast oval；
and one would have to use up eighty or a hundred good miles in traveling
around it。 As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly
photographed upon its still surface I thought it must surely be the
fairest picture the whole earth affords。
We found the small skiff belonging to the Brigade boys； and without loss
of time set out across a deep bend of the lake toward the landmarks that
signified the locality of the camp。 I got Johnny to rownot because I
mind exertion myself； but because it makes me sick to ride backwards when
I am at work。 But I steered。 A three…mile pull brought us to the camp
just as the night fell； and we stepped ashore very tired and wolfishly
hungry。 In a 〃cache〃 among the rocks we found the provisions and the
cooking utensils； and then； all fatigued as I was； I sat down on a
boulder and superintended while Johnny gathered wood and cooked supper。
Many a man who had gone through what I had； would have wanted to rest。
It was a delicious supperhot bread； fried bacon； and black coffee。 It
was a delicious solitude we were in； too。 Three miles away was a saw…
mill and some workmen； but there were not fifteen other human beings
throughout the wide circumference of the lake。 As the darkness closed
down and the stars came out and spangled the great mirror with jewels； we
smoked meditatively in the solemn hush and forgot our troubles and our
pains。 In due time we spread our blankets in the warm sand between two
large boulders and soon feel asleep； careless of the procession of ants
that passed in through rents in our clothing and explored our persons。
Nothing could disturb the sleep that fettered us； for it had been fairly
earned； and if our consciences had any sins on them they had to adjourn
court for that night； any way。 The wind rose just as we were losing
consciousness； and we were lulled to sleep by the beating of the surf
upon the shore。
It is always very cold on that lake shore in the night； but we had plenty
of blankets and were warm enough。 We never moved a muscle all night； but
waked at early dawn in the original positions； and got up at once；
thoroughly refreshed； free from soreness； and brim full of friskiness。
There is no end of wholesome medicine in such an experience。 That
morning we could have whipped ten such people as we were the day before
sick ones at any rate。 But the world is slow； and people will go to
〃water cures〃 and 〃movement cures〃 and to foreign lands for health。
Three months of camp life on Lake Tahoe would restore an Egyptian mummy
to his pristine vigor； and give him an appetite like an alligator。 I do
not mean the oldest and driest mummies； of course； but the fresher ones。
The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine； bracing and
delicious。 And why shouldn't it be？it is the same the angels breathe。
I think that hardly any amount of fatigue can be gathered together that a
man cannot sleep off in one night on the sand by its side。 Not under a
roof； but under the sky； it seldom or never rains there in the summer
time。 I know a man who went there to die。 But he made a failure of it。
He was a skeleton when he came； and could barely stand。 He had no
appetite； and did nothing but read tracts and reflect on the future。
Three months later he was sleeping out of doors regularly； eating all he
could hold； three times a day； and chasing game over mountains three
thousand feet high for recreation。 And he was a skeleton no longer； but
weighed part of a ton。 This is no fancy sketch； but the truth。 His
disease was consumption。 I confidently commend his experience to other
skeletons。
I superintended again； and as soon as we had eaten breakfast we got in
the boat and skirted along the lake shore about three miles and
disembarked。 We liked the appearance of the place； and so we claimed
some three hundred acres of it and stuck our 〃notices〃 on a tree。 It was
yellow pine timber landa dense forest of trees a hundred feet high and
fr