“I’ll stand you,” cried John; “I can beat you with my eyes shut. What’s the use of talking about a bow in the same day with a gun?”
They measured the distance, and set up a mark, when, to their astonishment, Charlie beat them both.
“You thought, John, the first time we ever saw each other,” said Charlie, “that I had a great many things to learn; you’ll find you have some things to learn, too.”
“I was a fool, Charlie; I believe you have forgot more than ever I knew; but how did you learn to shoot so with a bow?”
“Why, in England, boys and men practise a great deal with a bow; and they have shooting matches on the holidays, and give prizes to the best marksmen. My grandfather was a bowman in the king’s service; when he was young they used to fight with bows and arrows. I wish you could see his bow and arrows, that he had in the wars; the bow was six feet long, and the arrows would go through a man. Since I’ve been here I’ve practised a great deal, because I didn’t have money to buy powder and shot. I can shoot a coot or a squirrel with an arrow, or any kind of sea-bird.”
“We’ll have bows, and practise,” said John.
“I’ll give you this one, and make Fred one, too. I like to make bows.”
“Thank you, Charlie; and when we get learned we’ll come on here and give it to the squawks, and go on to Oak Island, and shoot squirrels and woodchucks, and save our powder and shot for sea-fowl. Have we seen all your things, Charlie?”
“Not by a long chalk; look up there” (pointing up into the tree). Following the direction of his fingers, they saw in the top of the tree a platform. Charlie took down a little ladder which hung on the tree, by which they ascended to its lower limbs. When they came down John proposed that they should camp out that night in the woods.
“I should think,” said Charlie, “it would be a great deal more comfortable to sleep in a bed.”