"
I was glad to hear this, for I had done more riding chat day than
in any one day in my life, before.
Uncle Kit told me it would be my job, on the trip as soon as my
horse was unsaddled, to gather wood and start a fire, while he and
Mr. Hughes unpacked the animals. So I unsaddled my horse, and by
the time they had the horses unpacked I had a good fire going and
plenty of water at hand for all purposes. Mr. Hughes, meantime,
got out the coffee-pot and frying-pan, and soon we had a meal that
I greatly enjoyed and which was the first one for me by a camp-
fire.
After we had eaten, and smoked and lounged for a while, Uncle Kit
asked me if I did not wish to try my rifle.
Of course I did.
So taking a piece of wood and sharpening one end that it might be
driven into the ground, he took a piece of charcoal and made on
the flat side of the wood a mark for me to shoot at.
"Now Willie," said Uncle Kit, "if you ever expect to be a good
hunter you must learn to be a good shot, and you can't begin
practicin' too soon."
I had never fired a gun, but I had made up my mind to be a mighty
hunter and so started in for shooting practice with much zeal.
Uncle Kit gave me few instructions about How to hold the gun, and
I raised the rifle to my face and fired the first shot of my life.
I do not know how close my bullet came to that mark, nor how far
it missed, for the wood was untouched.
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