"No, but he often gets the loan of Farmer Jones's."
"I suppose he could hit a barn door if he were within fifty feet of it," said James, contemptuously.
Tom was silent. It was not the first time he had noticed how distasteful to James was praise of any other boy.
At this moment, from another direction came a third boy, of about the same size and age as the two already introduced. He also had a gun on his shoulder. He had on a well-worn suit of mixed cloth, which had been darned in one or two places. His face was open and attractive, his form was well-knit and muscular, and he was evidently in vigorous health.
Tom Wyman was the first to notice the newcomer.
"Talk of the—old Harry," he said, "and he is sure to appear."
"What do you mean?" asked James, who had not yet espied the new arrival.
"There's Mark Manning coming towards us."
James condescended to turn his glance in Marks' direction.
"What brings him here, I wonder?" he said, with a curl of the lip.