-yas_ imitations. He mimics us to our very faces. Their idea of
us is too funny! The good-looking little one is his inseparable friend;
they hold hands when they're not working. The one with the whitey-blue
eyes is called by a very blasphemous name. I watched him turning over
the pages of some stove catalogues that dropped out of a crate, with
_such_ a serious air. And they were all exactly alike, but he didn't
know it, because he held some of them upside down! What do you suppose
he made of a picture of a self-feeder standing on its head?"

To Garth it seemed as if they took an interminable time to prepare and
eat their simple meal; and afterward there could no longer be any doubt,
from the way they loafed about, that they were soldiering, as a result
of Hooliam's low-voiced encouragement. They grinned with childish
impudence at the scowling _moon-i-yas_. At last Hooliam produced a
pack of cards and a game of "jack-pot" was started on the shore.
This constituted frank defiance; and Garth took instant action.

"Put up those cards!" he commanded.

The boys laughed and looked at Hooliam.

"Get on board the boat," Garth ordered, through Charley.

Hooliam's eyes bolted; but he made no move. With the sheer perversity
of a child or a savage, he insisted there was no wind, even while the
ripples were washing the stones at his feet.

Garth, thoroughly exasperated, picked up his rifle. His eyes glinted
dangerously. "There's something behind this nonsense!" he cried. "And
I'm going to stop it! You let him understand that if he opposes me any
further I have eleven cartridges in the magazine of this rifle, and I
would think as little of bringing him down as that wavy up there!"

A wild swan, most difficult of marks, was sailing high overhead. Garth,
as he spoke, took aim and fired; and the great bird dropped like a
plummet in the shallow water off shore.

Loud exclamations of admiration broke from the boys. Three of them
dashed enthusiastically into the water to contend for the honour of
bringing back the prize. Garth builded better than he knew. The boys
while scarcely understanding the threat, were instantly impressed with
the successful shot; and with it Garth established himself once and
for all in their eyes. They instinctively began to carry the things
on board as he had ordered; and in the end the scowling Hooliam was
obliged to follow them on board, or be left behind.

As they were getting under way again, Garth ob