Read Online The Legends of Lake on the Mountain by Roderick Benns - Free Book Online

John. “I think they’re worried that those kinds of attitudes about the govern ment will reach Kingston.”
    Squatting low for his next throw, John miscalculated and plunged it into the evening water on first contact. “Also,” John added, “I know the colonel is upset Father ever left Kingston. They always argue about that.”
    â€œWhy would he care?” asked George, raising a bushy eyebrow.
    â€œHe hasn’t exactly made it a secret that he believes Father made a mistake leaving Kingston years ago,” said John. “He thinks he should have made a better go of it in ‘civilization’ as he calls it. And never mind repeating any of this, Lou, or I won’t bring you up here anymore.”
    Lou stuck her tongue out at John and then quickly retreated when John glared at her. She smiled sweetly at George who ignored her and fingered a smooth stone he found. “My parents sometimes miss Montreal,” he conceded. “Running a farm is a lot…different here,” said George, searching for the right word in English.
    John didn’t say anything but he wondered how difficult it could be when the Cloutier’s had several farm workers to help them out. They were country squires from Montreal, looking to have a quieter lifestyle in the Stone Mills area.
    John instinctively felt his inside vest pocket now and then to make sure the bulge of map was still there. Looking over at the looming saw mill, he turned to George. “Let’s go around to the other side of the lake. This is where we were before when Mr. Pitman came up beside us.”
    George whirled around. “Not the tree!” George said. “Yes, of course the tree,” said John.
    Lou smiled at George. “I’ll look after you, George.”
    â€œStop saying that! Now why must we go to the tree?” George asked.
    There was one tree on the lake that was an obvious favourite for young people who liked a bit of risk and danger. John knew George Cloutier was not one of those young people, but he would drag him there nonetheless.
    â€œCome on, George – you don’t have to actually be on the tree. Follow me.”
    A twisted oak, magnificent in size, arced over the water at an impossible angle. It was so bent and half uprooted that it allowed someone to climb far out onto the lake with an impressive number of tributary branches, too. As they walked along, John realized he wasn’t seeing anything specific related to the map, as far as he could tell. He stopped abruptly.
    â€œDo you hear something?”
    â€œNo – what is it?” asked Lou.
    â€œI don’t know.” He looked behind them. “I thought I heard footsteps.”
    John shrugged and they kept going. Sullen oak and maple trees competed with one another for space in a wide circle around the mysterious lake. Twilight had just begun to purple the lake and forest around it, creating an eerie sheen. Even though the days were longer now, the area around Lake on the Mountain was heavily treed and sheltered which muted the light. Now and then a clearing appeared where a farmer had painstakingly sawed trees and dug enough stumps to create lake access.
    Arriving at the great oak, John balanced his way out over the lake beginning with its misshapen trunk. Lou followed closely behind while George stood at the base of the tree and folded his arms across his chest.
    â€œCome on, George,” said John without turning around. He knew his friend was waiting to be convinced. “Just a little ways out – the view is much better.”
    George kicked at a stone and watched it plunk in the water. “Fine. But not for long, right?”
    â€œOf course not,” said John.
    They could see deep shadows further out, where the sprawling branches created a natural canopy over the water. George was nearly as far out as John and Lou.
    â€œBe careful, John – you nearly slipped,” said George. “If