"Late! It isn't late yet. You can kill many a robin before dark," answered Martin, at the same time putting down a box which he carried on his shoulder. "Here is the trap which I promised to make for you," he continued. "It works well, too. I had hard work in getting a good piece of wood for the trigger. That's what made me so late."
"Works nicely," said Owen, as Martin touched the trigger and the door flew open.
"How many robins did you bring along?" inquired Martin.
"About fifty."
"That's as many as we can use. Now let us start to work."
Owen marked off the proper distance, while Martin put a robin in the trap for the first trial.
"Now I'm ready," said Owen, stepping up to the mark and raising his rifle.
As soon as the trigger was sprung the robin rose about six feet into the air, and then darted off directly in front of the boy. Almost at the same instant Owen fired.
"That'll never do," said Martin; "you didn't touch a feather."
"It is just as I told you," answered Owen; "I often miss them when they fly directly away. But let them go off one side, or in a half-circle, and they'll not escape so easily."