"You'll do it credit, lad, I know that full well; and let me assure you it will never play you false.

Only keep it clean, don't overcharge it, aim true, and it will never miss the mark." While the hunters crowded round Dick to congratulate him and examine the piece, he stood with a mingled feeling of bashfulness and delight at his unexpected good fortune.

Recovering himself suddenly, he seized his old rifle, and dropping quietly to the outskirts of the crowd, while the men were still busy handling and discussing the merits of the prize, went up, unobserved, to a boy of about thirteen years of age, and touched him on the shoulder.
"Here, Marston, you know I often said ye should have the old rifle when I was rich enough to get a new one.

Take it _now_, lad.

It's come to ye sooner than either o' us expected." "Dick," said the boy, grasping his friend's hand warmly, "ye're true as heart of oak.