CHAPTER II 



THE pot-hunter's DEFIANCE 



** Just yo' tell Mm that Ned Thompson wants to 

 speak to him!" 



The words rang threateningly in Shan's mind, 

 the next time that his uncle brought a brace of 

 wild ducks to the cabin. It was close season, and 

 to shoot wild duck out of season meant liability to 

 fine and imprisonment. 



Bull Adam was well aware that his daily habits 

 bordered more or less on crime, but he continued 

 his work of killing game birds in and out of season, 

 and defied all attempts to bring him to justice. In 

 this he was greatly aided by the confused medley 

 of game laws in North Carolina, wherein almost 

 every county has a different set of laws and there 

 is no game warden for the state. The county 

 game wardens, though many of them are efficient 

 men, are not paid enough to enable them to give 

 their whole time to the work. 



Although wild duck in March is illegal eating, 

 the laws do not affect the taste. Shan found the 

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