"I wath an Indian thooting bearth. Vladimir wath a bear."
"A Russian bear. You got him all right; but let me tell you, young man; you must be mighty careful what you aim at, for international complications may follow."
"What'th that?"
"That means it's dangerous to aim at anybody. I'll make you a target and when you get so you can hit the bull's eye three times out of five at a distance of fifteen feet I'll give you a better bow. Is it a bargain?"
Dicky shook hands on it solemnly.
"Remember now, no shooting at any living thing."
"Not a cat?"
"Not a cat or a bird, a dog or any other animal on two legs or four."
"All right," nodded Dicky, and Roger knew that he would keep his word, for that is a part of the training of a soldier's son.
The experiences of the afternoon were not yet ended. The arrow episode over the children looked about for other amusement. They drifted away from the group still gathered about the embers of the dying fire and made their way among the bushes standing uncut on the edge of the new clearing. Once in a while their laughter was borne on the breeze. It was a long time before any one thought of seeing what they were doing. Then Ethel Brown rose and sauntered in the direction whence the sounds came.