e going after birds," said Kate, "and I can't go where you'll
want to go--among the stubble and bushes."

"Oh! I sha'n't go much after birds," said Harry. "I wanted to borrow
Captain Caseby's dog, but he's going to use him himself to-day, and so I
don't expect to get much game. But we can have a good walk in the
woods."

"All right," said Kate. "I'll go along." And away she went for her hat.

The walk was charming. It was now September, and the fields were full of
bright-colored fall flowers, while here and there a sweet-gum tree began
to put on autumn tints. The sun was bright, and there was a strong
breeze full of piney odors from the forests to the west.

They saw no game; and when they had rambled about for an hour or so,
they sat down under an oak-tree on the edge of the woods, and while they
were talking, an idea came into Harry's head. He picked a great big fat
toadstool that was growing near the roots of the tree, and carrying it
about sixty feet from the tree, he stuck it up on a bush.

"Now then," said he, taking up his gun, cocking it, and handing it to
Kate, "you take a shot at that mark."

"Do you mean that I shall shoot at it?" exclaimed Kate.

"Certainly," said Harry. "You ought to know how to shoot. And it won't
be the first time you have fired a gun. Take a shot."

"All right," said Kate. And she took off her hat and threw it on the
grass. Then she took the gun and raised it to a level with her eye.

"Be easy now," said Harry. "Hold the butt close against your shoulder.
Take your time, and aim right at the middle of the mark."

"I'm afraid I'm shutting the wrong eye," said Kate. "I always do."

"Shut your left eye," said Harry. "Get the sight right between your
other eye and the mark."

Kate took a good long aim, and then, summoning all her courage, she
pulled the trigger.

The gun went off with a tremendous bang! The toadstool trembled for an
instant, and then tumbled off the bush.

"Hurra!" shouted Harry. "You've hit it fair!" And he ran and brought it
to her, riddled with shot-holes. Kate was delighted with her success,
and would have been glad to have spent the rest of the afternoon firing
at a mark. But Harry was not well enough supplied with powder and shot
for that. However, he gave her another shot at a piece of paper on the
bush. She made three shot-holes in it, and Harry said that would do very
well. He then loaded up again, and then they started off for home. The
path they too