in parting company with the traders, But, said Mr. 

 Milton, I must show to my associates some evidence 

 of wear and tear and expended energy, and let them 

 hear shots from my gun ring out. This brilliant 

 thought was put into execution. He walked into mud 

 holes, besmeared his new suit, fell over logs, scrambled 

 down short precipices, fired his gun off a dozen times, 

 and finally exhausted after a mile's tramp, dropped 

 into camp apparently more dead than alive. Resting 

 his gun against a tree, he tossed the string of 

 squirrels onto the ground in front of his companions 

 and remarked, "there, I have killed food for the break- 

 fast." Delighted over the apparent success and smiles 

 of Mr. Milton all joined in complimenting him as a 

 marksman and a hunter. "Good boy," "Bully fellow," 

 "You are no tenderfoot," were some of the expressions 

 freely given. The next evening long after the squirrel 

 feast had been forgotten, when the whole company was 

 quietly partaking of supper, Mr. Milton suddenly 

 showed signs of great agitation, which was beginning 

 to alarm his associates. There was shouts of laughter, 

 and loud poking of fun, when a moment later, the 

 country lad whom Mr. Milton had bought the squir- 

 rels of the day before walked in upon the scene and 

 remarked "does the man who bought dem squirrels 

 yesterday want ter buy eny more today?" The jig 

 was up and all the congratulations which had been 

 showered upon Mr. Milton a few hours before were 

 withdrawn. 



The anecdote amused the boys, but carried with it 

 the moral, "Be sure your sins will find you out." I 

 told my boy and his companions that deception might 

 prevail in fishing and hunting for awhile, but the truth 

 would sooner or later come to the surface and embar- 

 rassment might follow. 



80 



