"I have a big hammer yonder, the regulation size. We might
have a throw or so."

"Thanks, I will be sure to come," said Cameron eagerly.

"Come, all of you," said Mack, "and you too, Mandy. We will clear out
the barn floor and have a regular hoe-down."

"Oh, pshaw!" giggled Mandy, tossing her head. "I can't dance."

"Oh, come along and watch me, then," said Mack, in good humour, who,
with all his two hundred pounds, was lightfooted as a girl.

The Murrays' new big bank barn was considered the finest in the country
and the new floor was still quite smooth and eminently suited to a
"hoe-down." Before the darkness had fallen, however, Mack drew Cameron,
with Danny, Perkins, and a few of the neighbours who had dropped in, out
to the lane and, giving him a big hammer, "Try that," he said, with some
doubt in his tone.

Cameron took the hammer.

"This is the right thing. The weight of it will make more difference to
me, however, than to you, Mack."

"Oh, I'm not so sure," said Mack. "Show us how you do it."

The first throw Cameron took easily.

"Twenty-nine paces!" cried Mack, after stepping it off. "Man! that's a
great throw, and you do it easy."

"Not much of a throw," laughed Cameron. "Try it yourself."

Ignoring the swing, Mack tried the throw in his own style and hurled the
hammer two paces beyond Cameron's throw.

"You did that with your arms only," said Cameron. "Now you must put legs
and shoulders into it."

"Let's see you beat that throw yourself," laughed Perkins, who was by no
means pleased with the sudden distinction that had come to the "Scotty."

Cameron took the hammer and, with the easy slow grace of the Braemar
swing, made his throw.

"Hooray!" yelled Danny, who was doing the measuring. "You got it yon
time for sure. Three paces to the good. You'll have to put your back
into it, Mack, I guess."

Once more Mack seized the hammer. Then Cameron took Mack in hand and,
over and over again, coached him in the poise and swing.

"Now try it, and think of your legs and back. Let the hammer take care
of itself. Now, nice and easy and slow, not far this time."

Again and again Mack practised the swing.

"You're getting it!" cried Cameron enthusiastically, "but you are trying
too hard. Forget the distance this time and think only of the easy slow
swing. Let your muscles go slack." So he coached his pupil.

At length, after many attempts, Mack succeeded in delivering his hammer
according to instr