wildcats, but if ye want some wild turkeys here's
your chance," said the old hunter presently, and he pointed to the
left of the trail. The boys gazed in that direction but saw nothing
unusual and said so.

"The turkeys are in yonder tree," answered Jed Sanborn. "I jest
saw two on 'em movin' around on some branches.

"You certainly have keen eyes," answered Snap, for the distance to
the tree was at least a hundred and fifty yards.

"Have to have, lad, to be a good shot," was the reply.

Not to alarm the game, Jed Sanborn told them to walk with care, and
led the way in a semicircle through the timber. Then he told the
boys to spread out around the tree.

"Fire as soon as ye get a good chance, but not afore," said he.

As they crawled closer they saw the wild turkeys quite plainly.
There was a gobbler and six or seven hens, and they were roosting
on several limbs close to the ground.

"Must be gittin' lazy, to be on their perches so late in the morning,"
observed Jed. "Ought to have been scratchin' fer a livin' hours ago."

"Well, this suits us," answered Whopper. "I'm going to try for the
gobbler."

"I'll take the one below him," said Snap.

"I'll take the hen on the left," came from Giant.

"And I'll try for the one on the right," put in Shep. "What will
you shoot at, Jed?"

Before the old hunter could answer there was a stir on the tree.
The gobbler had heard them and he gave the alarm. Up and out went
the turkeys as fast as they could fly. Bang! bang! went the
shotguns, and several more shots followed. Jed Sanborn had also
taken aim. There was a great fluttering, and down dropped two
turkeys like lead. Two hens fluttered around, and the gobbler
remained in the tree, caught between two branches and breathing
his last.

"Hurrah! let us finish them!" cried Snap, and ran forward. The
next instant he felt one of the wounded turkeys strike his face.
He caught the game by the legs and then received a peck in the
hand that drew blood. Before the turkey could do any more harm
the young hunter stunned it by a blow against the tree and then
finished it. In the meantime the other hen was killed by Whopper,
while Jed Sanborn took his gun and poked the gobbler out of the
tree crotch and despatched him.

"Certainly a good haul, boys," said the old hunter, when the
temporary excitement was over. "You'll have turkey meat enough
to last some time."

"I know what I am going to do with the gobbler, if