144 CAROLINE.

 

Arrangements for going up the mountain.

But Livingston would not consent. He would neither
drive by Mr. Clarendon’s carriage himself, nor give
Caroline the reins, in order that she might do it. Caro-
line was a little piqued at this, but she submitted, and so
they rode on in the proper order, until they arrived at the
foot of the mountain,

Here the party all assembled, and driving their vehicles
into the woods, they came at length to a level and some-
what open place, on the margin of a stream, where there
was convenient standing ground for the horses. They
partly unharnessed the horses, so as to separate them
from the vehicles, and then fastened them to trees, at
safe distances from each other. They next divided the
grain which they had brought among the several horses,
pouring down each one’s portion on the grass before him.
Then they took their pails and baskets out of the wagons,
and forming a long procession, they entered upon the
steep and winding path which conducted up the moun-
tain-side. The driver of Mr. Clarendon’s carriage went
with them, and took the largest part of the load.

In due time, the party reached the blueberry ground,
and there, having established a depot for their baskets
and pails under some rocks, they rambled about the
ground, and began gathering their berries. Livingston
supposed that 1t was proper, now that the riding was
ended for the present, that the company should inter-
mingle in some degree, and that the several boys should
aid and converse with all the other members of the party,
as occasion should offer, and not confine their attentions
altogether to the girls who had rode with them respect-
ively; he, accordingly, began to talk sometimes with
Mary Bell, sometimes with Ellen Linn, and sometimes