352 



RECREATION 





'Nary Fetch/' chuckled Bud 



eyed me with that profound solemnity 

 that is seen only in the countenances of 

 hounds and Supreme Court Justices. 



"Light, stranger!" said old man Gib- 

 son, and as he spoke a shot was fired 

 inside the house. "Three," said Gib- 

 son; "fetch him that time, Bud?" 



"Nary fetch," chuckled Bud on the 

 step, peering eagerly through the door. 

 "Jim ducked it again." 



"Dick never was no good at wing 

 shootin'," mumbled Gibson between 

 teeth set upon the pipe stem. "Snap 

 shootin' with a pistol is a trick some 

 folks can't never learn, ain't it, 

 stranger? Four!" 



Another shot echoed through the 



house, and Bud reported, laconically: 

 "Missed." 



By this time I had dismounted and 

 was trying to see what was going on 

 inside. Half way up the stairs leading 

 directly from the front door to the sec- 

 ond story crouched a young man, who 

 held the spoke of a wagon wheel in 

 his hand. Just as I caught sight of 

 him, he stamped on the stairs to imitate 

 the sound of one running up, raised 

 his head cautiously to the level of the 

 upper floor and ducked quickly just as 

 a fifth shot rang out. A lock of red 

 hair fell from the top of his head, and 

 he put up a hand tentatively to his 

 crown. Instantly he repeated his re- 



