"Nonsense!" said Dick; "there isn't one chance in a million of a shower; sky is as clear as a bell."
"But," says Arthur, "there are no two ways about it. Mother said we were not to go if Tom Matthews were not here."
"You don't suppose mother really meant that?" said his brother Phil.
"Now, Cousin Arthur," said Dick, "you just put that conscience of yours to sleep as fast as you can.
"'Hush-a-by, conscience, on the tree-top,
Dear Mrs. Hartshorn would never say stop.'"
"But, Arthur," interrupted Ned, "she wouldn't care if she knew how many times I've been up Chocorua. Why, I've been to the top thousands of times. I know the way just as well as Tom."
Though Arthur's duty was as clear to him as at first, he decided to take Dick's advice, and silence his conscience.
Half an hour later they were climbing up the steep side of the mountain, laden with the tent, provisions, and other necessaries for their night's encampment.
Chocorua is one of the most difficult of the New Hampshire hills to ascend, not so much on account of its height as its rocky and steep outline. To Ned Brown, however, accustomed to scrambling over the hills of his native place, it was simply a very tiresome walk; but to the three city boys, who for the first time were spending part of their vacation among the mountains, it was a novel and rough experience. Nevertheless, their spirits did not flag, and about two o'clock they had reached the rocky summit, as tired and hungry a set of boys as you ever saw.