[Illustration: The Young Sportsman]

_A hare runs away,
And little boys play;
And girls they have skippers,
While maidens work slippers._



THE YOUNG SPORTSMAN.


Henry Downing's father was a gamekeeper; so you will not be surprised to
hear that he was very fond of playing at hunting and shooting.

His dearest friend was little Minnie Warren. He ran up to her one fine
September day, and said, "Oh! Minnie, father has been so kind; he has
given me a hare, and after you and I have had a game at hunting it, I'm
to give it to you, and you're to give it to your mother to jug. There!
what say you to that?"

Minnie _was_ pleased.

It was fun to see how they made believe.

Minnie tied, oh! such a long string to the hare's hind legs, and walked
off a good way; and just as Henry cocked his gun and pretended to fire,
she gave the string a pull, and off she ran, Henry after her.