"Not much of a story," replied the colonel. "It was killed on a trip
I made up in the Canadian Northwest, and it was a narrow escape for
me, too. It was killed by an arrow from one of those bows there."

"An arrow!" exclaimed Rand. "I didn't know that an elk could be
killed with an arrow."

"An arrow is as deadly as a bullet at short range," replied the
colonel. "You have read of the English archers and their famous
long-bows, haven't you?"

"And Robin Hood," put in Pepper.

"Robin Hood, of course," continued the colonel. "The Indians were
dangerous foes, too, even when they had nothing but their bows and
arrows."

"I wonder if I could learn to shoot with one of them," mused Rand,
drawing back one of the bows, a feat that required all of his
strength. "Say, boys, I've got an idea."

"Hold fast to it," counseled Donald. "You may no get another."

"Let's organize an Indian patrol, and we can carry bows and arrows."

"It might be worth thinking about," admitted Donald.

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about, colonel," said Jack,
"but I am afraid it's too late to take the matter up to-day."