172 FOUR FOOTED AMERICANS 



" The Fox was windward of Nat, who, as he says, 

 must have shot in a great hurry ! " 



"It was fine ! " shouted Rap. "Only think, Nattie, 

 you've shot a very wicked Fox, and you can have the 

 skin to make a rug for your mother, and perhaps she 

 will hang it in C'aiiip Saturday for a trophy ! Please, 

 why was it wrong. Dr. Hunter?" 



" For this reason. Rap. I told Nat not to load his 

 gun ; he disobeyed. He shot at something without be- 

 ing sure what it was ; it happened to be a Fox, but it 

 might have been a dog, or a calf, or a man crawling in 

 the brush Every year dreadful accidents happen and 

 people are killed and maimed for life because sportsmen 

 become excited and mistake a man for a Deer, a Bear, 

 or a Fox, and all the excuse they have is that it was ii 

 'mistake People who can make such mistakes must 

 not handle guns." 



The buys looked so very sad that Mr. Blake said, 

 " I think Nat has learned his lesson early and once for 

 all ; fortunately, by accident his accident wasn't an 

 accident after all. Did you say your feet are cold? 

 I tiiink we had better all go into the cabin." 



"Tlu'v were very cold a while ago, daddy, for my 

 leg'gins leaked a little and the snow got in, but now 

 they feel better, or rather 1 don't feel as if I had any 

 feet. I think it would be nice to put them by the 

 fire." 



" What ! no feeling in them ?" exclaimed the Doctor. 

 " Nez, bring me a pan of snow into the ea))in, and off 

 with your leggins, my boy. No, don't go near the fire, 

 if you do your feet will swell and vou will have chil- 

 blains every winter for — I don't know how long." 



