78 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



''I could bring the boxes out," suggested Shan, 

 hopefully, for he was anxious to show the gratitude 

 he felt, not only for the gift of the camera but for 

 the stranger's kindly interest. **I reckon Bull 

 wouldn't mind that." 



''Bull didn't raise the woods nor put a fence 

 round them," said the stranger with a half-smile, 

 retorting on the boy with his own argument. 



Shan's eyes brightened. 



''That's right," he said, "the woods are any- 

 body's. Bull's always fair. He'd see that." 



The figure in the bushes frowned at this applica- 

 tion of his own reasoning. He had always re- 

 garded the woods near his cabin as his own domain 

 and resented the approach of strangers. Kude 

 justice made him see that the boy was right. Un- 

 seen, he followed the three as they went along the 

 path through the woods. 



"What started you collecting birds' eggs, 

 Shan?" asked the stranger. 



"Learning to read," answered the boy. "It 

 was Bull who taught me to read, like he's taught 

 me everything I know. Bull's been right good to 

 me," and he told of the long winter evenings when 

 the old hunter worked to teach his nephew the lit- 

 tle he knew. 



