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Daniel grinned in relief and let both legs dangle off one side of the branch, holding on by his arround

Iun Sam watched carefully, but the boy didn’t touch the weapon; he h his teeth "’Pon un I ever did see"

Sam smiled and hunkered down next to the boy "It’s a Kentucky rifle Settlers use it on the frontiers of Pennsylvania in the Colonies"

Daniel glanced sideways at Sa? Don’t that make it hard to carry?"

"Not hted down the barrel again "Aim’s better Shot’s better Here, take a look"

Daniel eagerly stood beside hiun "Zounds!" the boy whispered He squinted down the barrel, one eye shut, breathing through his mouth "Can I shoot it?"

"Not here," Saun "Hop on the bench and you can help me"

The boy scrambled to stand on the bench

"Take this" Saun steady and don’t drop it The water’s hot Ready?"

The boy grasped the barrel of the rifle in both hands, the rag underneath to keep his hands fro His brow creased with concentration "Ready"

Saround and carefully poured a thin strea water down the barrel Dirty black water bubbled out of the touchhole

"Zounds," Daniel breathed

Salanced at him and smiled "Hold it there a minute" He set down the kettle and picked up the ra around the end He inserted the ramrod into the barrel and shoved it halfway down "Want to do it?"

"Coo! Would I?" The boy grinned at hi must come from his father, his so ahead"

Sam held the barrel while the boy worked the raet every bit of powder out of there"

"Why?" The boy frowned as he labored to shove the raun isn’t safe" Saht not fire Might misfire and take the shooter’s nose off A un clean"

"Huh," the boy grunted "What do you hunt with it? Eagles?"

"No, it’s too big for birds, even one as large as an eagle The woodsame--deer, mostly--but it comes in handy if a man comes across a bear or a catamount"

"Have you ever come across a catamount?"

"Only once I walked around a bend in a trail and there stood one, big as you please, in themotion "What did you do? Shoot it?"

Sa cat took one look at me and ran the other way"

"Huh" Daniel seemed a little disappointed at his answer

"That’s good," Sa the rifle "Now let’s pour in more water"

Daniel nodded, eyes intent and serious on the gun

Sa, now black, and picked up the kettle of water again "Ready?"

"Ready"

This tiray

"How many times must we do the water?" Daniel asked

"Until it runs clear" Sa on the end "Re water, too, so that the barrel dries well and doesn’t rust"

Daniel nodded as he drove the raun

Sam nearly smiled What for him was an easy chore took quite a bit of effort on the boy’s part, but Daniel never co the ra over the wall The scent of lemon balm drifted in the air He didn’t look up, but his entire body was suddenly on the alert, anticipating when the woman would make herself known

"How much more?" Daniel asked

"That should do it" Sam helped him withdraw the ramrod

Daniel watched hiht in a war?"

Sa the dirty rag froht the French in the Colonies Ready?"

The boy nodded "My uncle Reynaud fought in that war"

"I know" Sa water into the barrel

"Did you kill anyone in the war?"

Sa the water stream from the touchhole The question had probably been an idle one "Yes"

"The water’s clear"