it
should keep only one twig alive."

"I believe that's mistletoe growing on a limb of the oak."

"I guess you're right. And down there at the foot of the tree I see a
quail. He's humped over and seems to be trying to make himself smaller
all the time."

"Hush, man," Harry protested. "Quails don't grow down South as far as
this! They're a Northern bird."

"Then maybe I don't know what a quail is," retorted Arnold.

"I don't mean that," replied Harry, "but it seems strange to think of
quail being here. I always had an idea that quail humped themselves
under the shelter of a corn shock with snow blowing around their toes
and nearly freezing them to death."

"Maybe you're right. They tell me the natives call these birds
partridges. Just the same, I'll venture to say that I can call them out
of cover. Want to see me try it?"

"Sure. Go as far as you like. We won't shoot them, though."

"Certainly not. We have all we need for food except maybe a rabbit.
Watch me toll them on."

Both boys were very quiet for a few minutes, then Arnold sent out a
plaintive "Bob White" call. In a few minutes he repeated the cry. This
time an answer came and directly both boys were delighted to observe the
little bright eyed bird that had responded stepping out from the shelter
of a clump of grass.

"Too bad to disappoint him," declared Arnold, "but it is getting on
towards the shank of the afternoon, so let's take a walk around and then
get back to the town. The Fortuna is probably on the railway by now. I
wish the others could have been with us this glorious afternoon. It has
been fine so far."

Leaving the river the boys walked slowly along scanning closely the
vegetation on all sides and keeping an alert eye open for the feathered
and furry denizens of the forest.

A rabbit scurried across their path and hastened with great leaps down
the path. The boys laughed to see the patch of white tail go bounding
down the old trail along which they were walking.

"I'll choose the next one," declared Harry. "Rabbit stew for supper
wouldn't go so bad! It would help out on canned goods."

"All right, Harry," responded Arnold. "We'll make the limit one rabbit
apiece if you don't mind. We'll have a good supper at that. There's no
use taking home more than we can eat soon."

"Here's mine, then," announced Harry taking quick aim at a fleeing
cotton-tail. "I'll choose this one right here."

As a tribute to Harry's excellent aim the rabbi