Without doubt our long hike on the circuit of the day before tired Jackie and Jillie to the degree that they slept that night, our second in the cottage, without once waking until we ourselves were prepared to rise at eight in the morning. Needless to say we slept like virtual logs the night through, and we could thank our exertions doing the Smart's Brook trail for that, even though we went to bed just after ten in the evening.

 While I prepared breakfast, my husband looked through the White Mountain guide again so we could decide where to head for next, for our day's forest hike. This one to be relatively short in comparison to yesterday's and fairly physically undemanding. With all that in mind we finally set off for Drake's Brook, a trail we hadn't been to in  many years. Despite which once we were on the trail my husband recalled it in fairly good detail. Surprising, since it's usually my recall we depend upon.

The stunning scenery of the autumn wood once again took our breath away. As for Jackie and Jillie they were just delighted to be out again in the woods. We had decided that for the duration of our stay we would keep them on leash once out on forest trails. We had no intention of risking an impetuous run by one or the other to follow a squirrel or just to romp about out of our sight for a moment, since that would be all it would take for us to lose contact. The thought of losing one of them terrifies us; the very thought of these small creatures, defenceless and hugely dependent, not knowing where they are, and how to fend for themselves is fear inspiring.

They didn't seem to mind being on leash, though it was awkward at times since Jackie tends to run and leap about everywhere, ensuring the leashes would regularly become tangled, since we were using extended leashes. And when the terrain is demanding, it's more difficult when they have to be restrained like that, complicating their footing and ours as well.

The trees in full fall colour, the trail was thick in red and gold. Some trees, mostly birch, already close to bald, but maples and beech and oak still in the colour-turning stages, some of them absolutely aflame. We hiked along Drake's Brook to Fletcher's Cascade trail. Drake's Brook wide, and Fletcher's narrow, rockstrewn and root-riven, so difficult to negotiate with any semblance of speed, leaving us to proceed at a cautious pace. However the trail, often very wet, was dry.

With a high of 72-F, a clear blue sky and light wind, it was a perfect hiking day. We were obviously tired from our previous day's hike at Smart's Brook. so that this outing was only of several hours' duration suited us very well.