“Do you think we shall find any large game here?”
“Hardly. If a deer was near by he’d slide away in jig time as soon as he heard those shots. The most we can hope for are rabbits and birds.”
“I see a squirrel!” cried Joe, a little later.
“Watch where he goes,” returned the old hunter. “Ah, there’s his tree.”
Joe took aim, and the squirrel was brought down just as he was entering his hole. The tree was not a tall one, and Joel Runnell prepared to climb it.
“What are you going to do that for?” asked the youth.
“For the nuts, Joe. They’ll make fine eating during the evenings around the fire.”
It was an easy matter to clean out the hole in the tree—after they had made sure that no other animals were inside. From the place they obtained several quarts of hickory and other nuts, all of which Joel Runnell poured into the game bag he had brought along.
“This is easier than picking ’em from the trees,” he remarked. “And that squirrel will never need them now.”
By the time the top of the hill was gained, it was almost dark, and the snow had begun to fall. At this point they scared up half a dozen birds, and brought down four. Joel Runnell also caught sight of a fox, but the beast got away before he could fire on it.