irst chips that flew were
ten inches long, but they quickly dwindled as the kerf sank in. The
butt-kerf was two-thirds through the tree when Yan called "One minute
up." Sam stopped work, apparently without cause, leaned one hand
against the south side of the tree and gazed unconcernedly up at its
top.

"Hurry up, Sam. You're losing time!" called his friend. Sam made no
reply. He was watching the wind pushes and waiting for a strong one.
It came--it struck the tree-top. There was an ominous crack, but Sam
had left enough and pushed hard to make sure; as soon as the recoil
began he struck in very rapid succession three heavy strokes, cutting
away all the remaining wood on the west side and leaving only a
three-inch triangle of uncut fibre. All the weight was now northwest
of this. The tree toppled that way, but swung around on the uncut
part; another puff of wind gave help, the swing was lost, the tree
crashed down to the northwest and drove the stake right out of sight
in the ground.

"Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! One minute and forty-five seconds!" How Yan
did cheer. Sam was silent, but his eyes looked a little less dull and
stupid than usual, and Guy said "Pooh? That's nothin'."

Yan took out his pocket rule and went to the stump. As soon as he laid
it on, he exclaimed "Seven and one-half inches through where you cut,"
and again he had to swing his hat and cheer.

"Well, old man, you surely did it that time. That's a grand coup if
ever I saw one," and so, notwithstanding Guy's proposal to "leave it
to Caleb," Sam got his grand Eagle feather as Axeman A1 of the Sanger
Indians.

XVIII

The Owls and The Night School

One night Sam was taking a last look at the stars before turning in. A
Horned Owl had been hooting not far away.

"_Hoo--hohoo-hoho--hoooooo_."

And as he looked, what should silently sail to the top of the medicine
pole stuck in the ground twenty yards away but the Owl.

"Yan! Yan! Give me my bow and arrow, quick. Here's a Cat-Owl--a
chicken stealer, he's fair game."

"He's only codding you, Yan," said Guy sleepily from his blanket. "I
wouldn't go."

But Yan rushed out with his own and Sam's weapons.

Sam fired at the great feathery creature, but evidently missed, for
the Owl spread its wings and sailed away.

"There goes my best arrow. That was my 'Sure-death.'"

"Pshaw!" growled Yan, as he noted the miss. "You can't shoot a little
bit."

But as they stood, there was a fluttering o