subject of his love for adventure. He was sitting at the door of his
house mending an axe. Hedwig, as usual, was washing up. Walter and
William were playing with a little cross-bow not far off.

   "Father," said Walter.

   "Yes, my boy?"

   "My bow-string has bust." ("Bust" was what all Swiss boys said when
they meant "broken.")

   "You must mend it yourself, my boy," said Tell. "A sportsman always
helps himself."

   "What

    I

   say," said Hedwig, bustling out of the house, "is that a
boy of his age has no business to be shooting. I don't like it."

   "Nobody can shoot well if he does not begin to practise early. Why,
when I was a boy—I remember on one occasion, when—"

   "What

    I

   say," interrupted Hedwig, "is that a boy ought not to
want always to be shooting, and what not. He ought to stay at home and
help his mother. And I wish you would set them a better example."

   "Well, the fact is, you know," said Tell, "I don't think Nature meant
me to be a stay-at-home and that sort of thing. I couldn't be a
herdsman if you paid me. I shouldn't know what to do. No; everyone has
his special line, and mine is hunting. Now, I

    can

   hunt."

 Prev. P 18/60 next