Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/207

 for another piece of squirrel if there had been any more on the big slice of bark that did duty as a platter.

"This meal will give you an idea of what we could have done if that squatter had not stumbled on our canoes while we were after that bear," said Roy, who stood holding the empty platter in one hand and his light bird gun in the other. As he spoke, he sent the platter flying over the pond, and broke it into inch pieces by the two charges of shot he put into it before it struck the water. "What's the next thing on the programme?" he continued. "I don't much like the idea of undertaking that long carry during the heat of the day, but I don't see what else we can do unless we are willing to stay here and be idle for hours to come. We can't fish any more, that's certain. We haven't brought our long bows with us, and who wants to shoot squirrels with a shot gun? Not I, for one."

There was no debate upon the question Roy had raised. They had their choice between going home, and staying where they were until the sun sank out of sight behind the