As he hesitated, she asked.
"You're not afraid I'll hit it, are you, Bob?"
"No, I'm not," said Bob, and with that he threw his straw hat high into the air and it came down with a nick in the brim and two holes in the crown.
"Where did you learn to shoot, Ruth?" he demanded, looking at his damaged hat.
"Oh, I learned that long ago," she replied, pleased that at last she had won his genuine admiration. "I've two medals for shooting. My brothers are both crack shots and they taught me. I usually shoot with a rifle, however."
"That's fine shooting," said Bob. "I couldn't do nearly as well as that myself," he admitted grudgingly.
"Now, show me how to bait the hook," she said, picking up the squirrel. Bob took it and showed her how to prepare and put it on the hook.
They then went along the pond until they came to some small thorn bushes that grew on the bank. Bob showed her how to cast the bait by whirling it round and round and then let it fly out into the water. She tried several times until she got the knack of doing it, then threw in both lines and tied them fast to the thorn bushes.
"How long'll I have to wait before I catch a turtle, Bob?" she asked, as they started for the house.
"Maybe an hour and maybe not till to-morrow morning, and maybe as long as a day or two—it just depends," he replied.