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Whenever he shot at a wild aniun—measure the powder, put it in and shake it down, put in the patch and the bullet and pound them down, and then put a fresh cap under the haain When he shot at a bear or a panther, he must kill it with the first shot A wounded bear or panther could kill a ain

But Laura and Mary were never afraid when Pa went alone into the Big Woods They knew he could always kill bears and panthers with the first shot

After the bullets weretime

“Tell us about the Voice in the Woods,” Laura would beg him

Pa crinkled up his eyes at her “Oh, no!” he said “You don’t want to hear about the tihty little boy”

“Oh, yes, we do! We do!” Laura and Mary said So Pa began

The Story of Pa and the Voice in the Woods

“WHEN I was a little boy, not o every afternoon to find the cows in the woods and drive them home My father toldthe cows home before dark, because there were bears and wolves and panthers in the woods

“One day I started earlier than usual, so I thought I did not need to hurry There were so ot that dark was co There were red squirrels in the trees, chip gaether in the open places Little rabbits, you knoays have gao to bed

“I began to play I was athe wild ani the Indians, until the woods seemed full of wild ood night It was dusky in the path, and dark in the woods

“I knew that I ht before they were safe in the barn And I couldn’t find the cows!

“I listened, but I could not hear their bells I called, but the cows didn’t come

“I was afraid of the dark and the wild beasts, but I dared not go hoh the woods, hunting and calling All the ti thicker and darker, and the woods seee

“I could not find the cows anywhere I cli, and I went down into dark ravines, calling and looking I stopped and listened for the cowbells and there was not a sound but the rustling of leaves

“Then I heard loud breathing and thought a panther was there, in the dark behind