ut the truth, if I do say it
myself, that there is not another fellow in the settlement who could
have done it. Of course it will be open to amendments, but I don't
see how or where it could be improved. It covers all the ground,
doesn't it?'

"It covers a good deal, and especially the article you read twice,"
replied Don. "But I can't join such an organization as that. I'm a
pot-hunter myself. I never went hunting yet, without I intended to
shoot something for the table."

"But you are not a poacher."

"I don't know about that. I hunt in every field and piece of woods I
find, no matter who owns them."

"Perhaps I had better change that," said Lester, after thinking a
moment, "and say market-shooters instead of pot-hunters."

"There are no such things as market-shooters in the county."

"But there are market-trappers," said Lester. "There are persons
here, who are catching quails and shipping them out of the state."

"Yes, there is one who thinks of going into the business, and I got
him the job. It wouldn't look very well for me to turn around now and
tell him that he must not do it."

"You could say to him that you have had reason to change your mind
lately, and that you know it isn't right to do such things."

"But I haven't changed my mind."

"You ought to. The first thing you know there will be no birds for
you and me to shoot."

"I'll risk that. You may trap two hundred dozen if you want to, and
send them out of the county, and when you have done it, I will go out
any morning with my pointer and shoot birds enough for breakfast.
I'll leave more in the fields, too, than you can bag in six months,"
added Don, and Bert saw the point he was trying to make, if Lester
did not. "Besides, what right have I to tell Dave what he shall do
and what he shall not do? He'd laugh at me."

"Well, he wouldn't do it more than once. A few days in the calaboose
would bring him to his senses."

"Who would put him there?"

"The club would."

"Where's the club's authority for such a proceeding?"

Lester lifted the constitution and tapped it with his forefinger by
way of reply.

"I think I had better have nothing to do with it," said Don, who
could scarcely refrain from laughing outright.

"We intend to make you our president," said Lester.

"I am obliged to you," replied Don, but still he did not take any
more interest in the Sportsman's Club than he had done before. He did
not snap up the bait thus thrown out,