reward for his skill and patience.

To Hector's vast delight, his father bought a gun for him as well as
for himself.

'Ye're a big laddie now,' said Mr. Macrae, his grave features lighting
up with a rare smile of love and pride, as he watched the boy fondling
the firearm as a mother would her baby, 'and it is right you should
learn to use the gun. Be verra careful with it, laddie, and dinna
forget that powder and bullets are very scarce, and maun na be wasted.'

Hector, of course, promised to be as economical as possible of
ammunition, and, having thanked his father over and over again, rushed
off to show his gun to the other boys in the party.

Naturally his first essay as a hunter was against the rabbits, that
were quite plentiful in the clumps of trees which were a feature of the
country. With Dour and Dandy bounding and barking beside him, and a
young half-breed with whom he had picked up an acquaintance as his
companion, he set off very proudly and confidently. Baptiste had
promised to guide him to the best places for the bunnies, and Hector
said confidently to his mother, as, with no small anxiety in her eye
and voice, she was warning him to be careful in handling the gun: 'To
be sure, mither, to be sure; I'll take the best o' care o' myself and
the gun, and, mither, I'll bring ye back as many rabbits as I can
carry.'

It was a boyish boast, for he had yet to shoot his first rabbit; but
Hector had that happy quality, 'a gude conceit of himself,' and it was
a great help to him in life.

Reaching the woods, the dogs, with the fine intelligence of their noble
race, ceased bounding and barking aimlessly, and, with lowered heads,
ran silently hither and thither seeking for game. They were not long
in picking up a brace of bunnies that gave a fine chance for a shot ere
they leaped away out of range.

'Shoot 'em--queek!' cried Baptiste excitedly.

Hector threw the gun to his shoulder with all speed, and pulled the
trigger without stopping to take aim. Naturally the charge of shot
buried itself harmlessly in the side of a tree, and the panic-stricken
rabbits vanished unhurt.

'Bah!' cried Hector, in disgust at his miserable markmanship. 'I did
na touch them! Eh, Baptiste, but they're awfu' smart!'

Baptiste, considerately doing his best to smother a smile, nodded in
assent and muttered something about trying again.

Another chance soon came, but Hector had no better luck, and he began
to realize that