volver up ten feet and the tin twenty. As the revolver came down he
seized it and shot a hole through the tin before it could reach the
ground.

The boys were simply dumbfounded. They had used up all their
exclamations on the first simple target trial.

Caleb stepped into the shanty to get a cleaning-rag for his darling,
and Sam burst out:

"Well, now I know he never shot at Da, for if he did he'd 'a' got him
sure."

It was not meant for Caleb's ears, but it reached him, and the old
Trapper came to the door at once with a long, expressive "H-m-m-mrr."

Thus was broken the dam of silent scorn, for it was the first time
Caleb had addressed himself to Sam. The flood had forced the barrier,
but it still left plenty of stuff in the channel to be washed away by
time and wear, and it was long before he talked to Sam as freely as to
the others, but still in time he learned.

There was an air of geniality on all now, and Yan took advantage of
this to ask for something he had long kept in mind.

"Mr. Clark, will you take us out for a Coon hunt? We know where there
are lots of Coons that feed in a corn patch up the creek."

If Yan had asked this a month ago he would have got a contemptuous
refusal. Before the visit to Carney's grave it might have been, "Oh, I
dunno--I ain't got time," but he was on the right side of Caleb now,
and the answer was:

"Well, yes! Don't mind if I do, first night it's coolish, so the Dog
kin run."

[Illustration: Raccoon in tree]

XXI

The Triumph Of Guy

The boys had hunted the Woodchuck quite regularly since first meeting
it. Their programme was much the same--each morning about nine or ten
they would sneak out to the clover field. It was usually Guy who first
discovered the old Grizzly, then all would fire a harmless shot, the
Woodchuck would scramble into his den and the incident be closed for
the day. This became as much a part of the day's routine as getting
breakfast, and much more so than the washing of the dishes. Once or
twice the old Grizzly had narrow escapes, but so far he was none the
worse, rather the better, being wiser. The boys, on the other
hand, gained nothing, with the possible exception of Guy. Always
quick-sighted, his little washed-out optics developed a marvellous
keenness. At first it was as often Yan or Sam who saw the old Grizzly,
but later it was always Guy.

One morning Sam approached the game from one point, Guy and Yan from
another some yards a