R VIII.

THE UPLIFT OF A BOY SCOUT.

They all listened, and heard the far-away howl several more times. Eli
even declared that it was not the same beast that gave tongue, but a
different one; and this seemed to bear out his statement that the
animals usually hunted in packs. If a bunch of them had crossed the St.
Johns river, and taken to chasing deer in the forbidden territory of
Maine, the tidings would soon spread, and every guide be on the lookout.

"If so be ye run acrost ary wolves, knock 'em over like vermin," Eli
remarked, during the discussion of the subject that followed.

"I guess everybody's got his hand raised against the poor old wolf,
ain't they?" asked Bumpus; who often felt sorry for the underdog in a
fight, no matter if it happened to be a strange cur he had never set
eyes on before.

"Why not?" asked Thad, immediately; "when the wolf is no respecter of
persons, and will pull down anything that can be used for food? The
world over, they are hunted, because they do so much harm. It has always
been so from the time the shepherds of Bible times tended their flocks
on the hills of Galilee. And as long as living things stay on this old
globe, man and wolf will never agree."

"And in every State where they used to run, there has always been
declared a fat bounty on wolves," Allan observed. "Why, right now, Maine
is paying large sums of money to get rid of her vermin, such as wolves,
wildcats, panthers and snakes. I've read that as much as four hundred
thousand dollars has been paid out in bounties since nineteen-three."

"Yes," laughed Thad, "and that's where the joke comes in. I read that
same article, which was mighty interesting too. It went on to state that
some smarties are not content with getting the regular bounty. They grow
a gray cat that looks on the order of the wild article--shorten the
tail, draw out the claws, and then send in the skin, claiming the six
dollars that is paid for each bobcat actually slain within the borders
of the State."

It was the turn of old Eli to laugh now.

"I heard tell o' a sharper as cut off the rattles from a lot o' tame
snakes he kept shut up, and send 'em in for the bounties each rattle
brings; and then he expects his pets ter grow new rattles, which
howsumever, I don't guess they kin; but thet air story goes ter show
what some men will try an' do ter beat the pore old government people."

"Whew! and I just can't stand for snakes at all," remarked Step