THE BOY 185 



then more wadding. Then came the grand final 

 art of priming. It was thrilling to see him place a 

 G.D. cap between his teeth while he covered the 

 box and returned it to his pocket, then cock the 

 piece and put the cap on the nipple. What if his 

 thumb should slip from the striker as he eased it 

 down! Sometimes it did, and then what a delight- 

 ful scare if nothing worse; what shame for the 

 unskillful engineer amid the jeers of the envious, 

 gunless crowd. 



But nowadays, alas, almost any boy may have 

 a gun, and only he is enviable who has the best. 

 Well, if he will only use his dangerous toy as he 

 should, let him have it, for the sporting instinct is 

 strong in the young savage. And who for pure 

 love of it is such a naturalist? Is it not he who 

 notes the first comers of spring, meets the chip- 

 munk and the woodchuck at their thresholds when 

 they first come forth from their winter sleep; finds 

 the earliest birds' nests, and knows where the 

 squirrels breed? The sportsman who enjoys his 

 sport most is he who loves nature best; and who 

 of all the guild enjoys his day with the gun with 

 greater zest than the boy? 



Yes, let the boy have his gun, a sound, well- 

 made one, but teach him how to use it carefully, 

 temperately, humanely. Always as if it were 

 loaded, never out of season, nor too often in sea- 

 son, and never for mere love of slaughter. 



