Daniel, aged ten at this time, watched the herds; at sunset he drove them to the cabin for milking, and locked them in the cowpens at night.
He was not allowed firearms at that age, so he shaped for himself a weapon that served him well.

This was a slender smoothly shaved sapling with a small bunch of gnarled roots at one end.

So expert was he in the launching of this primitive spear that he easily brought down birds and small game.

When he reached his twelfth year, his father bought him a rifle; and he soon became a crack shot.

A year later we find him setting off on the autumn hunt--after driving the cattle in for the winter-with all the keenness and courage of a man twice his thirteen years.