“All the boys are talking of it.  One object is to bring the young sportsmen of the neighborhood into more intimate relations, and another is to protect the game.  Perhaps I can give you no better idea of the proposed organization than by reading this constitution, which will be acted upon by the club at its first meeting.”

As Lester said this he looked from one to the other of the brothers, and receiving a nod from each which signified that they were ready to listen, he drew out the document of which he had spoken, and proceeded to read it in his best style.  He glanced at his auditors occasionally while he was reading the paper, and when he came to a certain paragraph, the one upon which he and Bob had expended the most time and thought, he told himself that he had certainly made an impression, for Bert looked bewildered and Don straightened up, drew a note-book from his pocket and began making entries therein with a lead-pencil.  The paragraph read as follows: 

“The great object of the club being to put down pot-hunters and poachers, and stop the practice, which is so common, of trapping game and shipping it out of the country, it is hereby

“Resolved, that on and after the date of the adoption of this constitution, it shall be unlawful for any person to take by trapping, at any season of the year, or on any lands, whether private in their own occupation, public or waste, any of the game animals and birds hereinafter described, to wit:  pheasant (T.  Scolopax); partridge (Picus Imperialis); rabbit (Ortyx Virgiana); and red deer (Canis Lupus).  The penalty for disobedience shall be a fine of ten dollars for the first offence, twenty for the second, thirty for the third, and so on; the fines to be sued and recovered before any justice of the peace in the county, and to be divided in equal parts between the informer and the poor; and in default of payment the offender shall be imprisoned for ten days in the county jail.”

When the document was finished, Don asked him to read this clause over again.  He complied with the request, and as he folded the paper very deliberately waited for his auditors to say a word of commendation; but as they didn’t do it, he said it himself.

“Now, I drew up that instrument, and I think it is just about right,” said he, complacently.  “It is nothing but the truth, if I do say it myself, that there is not another fellow in the settlement who could have done it.  Of course it will be open to amendments, but I don’t see how or where it could be improved.  It covers all the ground, doesn’t it?’

“It covers a good deal, and especially the article you read twice,” replied Don.  “But I can’t join such an organization as that.  I’m a pot-hunter myself.  I never went hunting yet, without I intended to shoot something for the table.”

“But you are not a poacher.”

“I don’t know about that.  I hunt in every field and piece of woods I find, no matter who owns them.”