k led through a corner of the woods.

They had not gone far before they met Gregory Montague.

"Oh, Mah'sr Harry!" said Gregory, "I done foun' a bees' nes'."

"Where?" cried Harry.

"Down in a big tree in de holler, dar," pointing over toward the
thickest part of the woods. "You have to go fru de brush and bushes, but
it's a powerful big nest, Mah'sr Harry, right in de holler ob de tree."

"Are you sure it's a bees' nest?" said Harry. "How do you know?"

"I knows it's a bees' nest," said Gregory, somewhat reproachfully.
"Didn't I see de bees goin' in an' out fru a little hole?"

"Kate," said Harry, "you hold this gun a little while. I'll run down
there and see if it is really a bee-tree that he has found. Hold it
under your arm, that way, with the muzzle down. That's it. I'll be back
directly." And away he ran with Gregory.

And now Kate was left alone in the woods with a gun under her arm. It
was a new experience for her. She felt proud and pleased to have control
of a gun, and it was not long before she began to think that it would be
a splendid thing if she could shoot something that would do for supper.
How surprised they would all be if she should bring home some game that
she had shot, all by herself!

She made up her mind that she would do it, if she could see anything to
shoot.

And so she walked quietly along the path with her thumb on the hammer of
the gun, all ready to cock it the instant she should see a good chance
for a shot.

CHAPTER XXX.

A GIRL AND A GUN.

A short distance beyond the place where Kate had been left, there was a
small by-path; and when, still carefully carrying her gun, she reached
this path, Kate stopped. Here would be a good place, she thought, to
wait for game. Something would surely come into that little path, if she
kept herself concealed.

So she knelt down behind a small bush that grew at a corner of the two
paths, and putting her gun through the bush, rested the barrel in a
crotch.

The gun now pointed up the by-path, and there was an opening in the bush
through which Kate could see for some distance.

Here, then, she watched and waited.

The first thing that crossed the path was a very little bird. It hopped
down from a twig, it jerked its head about, it pecked at something on
the ground, and then flew up into a tree. Kate would not have shot it on
any account, for she knew it was not good to eat; but she could not help
wondering how people ever did