6 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



Satisfied that the visitor really was on his way, 

 Shan doubled on his tracks and headed for another 

 part of the forest. He had covered the better part 

 of five miles and his legs were well scratched with 

 briers before he reached the section he sought. 

 There he stopped and whistled three times the 

 alarm call of the Scarlet Tanager : 



*'Chip-cherr! Chip-cherr! Chip-cherr!" the 

 first note high and shrill, the second note being a 

 downward slur, five tones lower in the scale. 



From time to time as he advanced, Shan re- 

 peated the call, and, at last, the triple cry came in 

 response. Guided by the sound, the boy made his 

 way through the woods and came upon a little glade 

 where his uncle was seated on a fallen tree, his gun 

 on his knees, waiting for his nephew. 



In a country-side not much given to nicknames, 

 Jefferson Adam had been called "Bull" Adam, 

 as far back as any one could remember. His 

 headstrong and violent temper had made him 

 feared by all the countryside. While not morose, 

 he was a silent man. When Shan appeared 

 through the trees, Bull merely turned his head 

 sidewise a trifle to show that he was aware of his 

 nephew's coming. 



Shan, himself, was not greatly more communica- 



