90 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



and hunting them is still considered good sport by 

 some people. 



"The Peccar}' looks innocent enough as it walks 

 along on the points of its hoofs, or wallows in the 

 shady marshes of the river bottoms, its moutli gaping 

 in a foolish fashion ; but if it sees you — watch out. 

 If your gun misses, you had better run, even if you 

 have to take to a cactus patch, for, appropriately 

 enough, prickles and Peccaries grow in the same places, 

 and they are both painful things to encounter." 



Dodo was delighted to think her target was a wild 

 cousin of Sausage's, and flew into the house to tell her 

 mother and promise lier the first shot at the Peccary, 

 as soon as she should have her bow and arrows. Then 

 she flew out again to coax her father to make her a good 

 tight bow, which he soon did out of a liickory sapling 

 and some of his pet fish-line. Nat, who meanwhile dis- 

 appeared, soon returned with Rap, and everything had 

 to be shown and explained once more. 



Rap handled the rifle very carefully, as one having 

 had experience, and then took up the other small gun 

 whicli Nat had overlooked. 



" How is it different from the other ? " asked Nat. 



" It has two barrels instead of one," said Rap, "and 

 the cartridges hold a lot of shot instead of bullets. It 

 is for shooting little things." 



" Wliy is a lot of shot better than a good bullet ? " 

 asked Nat. 



" Shot spreads out, and is more likely to hit a small 

 object than a bullet that only strikes in one place. 

 If we ever go up to see Nez and hunt Rabbits, this is 

 tlie gun we shall need," said the Doctor. 



