cause
of all his evils, when he was summoned to try his skill with his
_famous_ bow.

"My hands are numbed; I can scarcely feel," said he, rubbing them, and
blowing upon the ends of his fingers.

"Come, come," cried young Sweepstakes, "I'm within one inch of the mark;
who'll go nearer, I should like to see. Shoot away, Hal; but first,
understand our laws: we settled them before you came on the green. You
are to have three shots, with your own bow and your own arrows; and
nobody's to borrow or lend under pretence of other bows being better or
worse, or under any pretence. Do you hear, Hal?"

This young gentleman had good reasons for being so strict in these laws,
as he had observed that none of his companions had such an excellent bow
as he had provided for himself. Some of the boys had forgotten to bring
more than one arrow with them, and by his cunning regulation, that each
person should shoot with his own arrows, many had lost one or two of
their shots.

"You are a lucky fellow; you have your three arrows," said young
Sweepstakes. "Come, we can't wait whilst you rub your fingers,
man--shoot away."

Hal was rather surprised at the asperity with which his friend spoke. He
little knew how easily acquaintances, who call themselves friends, can
change, when their interest comes, in the slightest degree, in
competition with their friendship. Hurried by his impatient rival, and
with his hand so much benumbed that he could scarcely feel how to fix
the arrow in the string, he drew the bow. The arrow was within a quarter
of an inch of Master Sweepstakes' mark, which was the nearest that had
yet been hit. Hal seized his second arrow. "If I have any luck," said he
but just as he pronounced the word _luck_ and as he bent his bow, the
string broke in two, and the bow fell from his hands.

"There, it's all over with you," cried Master Sweepstakes, with a
triumphant laugh.

"Here's my bow for him and welcome," said Ben.

"No, no, Sir; that is not fair; that's against the regulation. You may
shoot with your own bow, if you choose it, or you may not, just as you
think proper but you must not lend it, Sir."

It was now Ben's turn to make his trial. His first arrow was not
successful. His second was exactly as near as Hal's first.

"You have but one more," said Master Sweepstakes: "now for it!"

Ben, before he ventured his last arrow prudently examined the string of
his bow; and as he pulled it to try its strength, it crac