He grasped his precious rifle more firmly and stole a look out of the corner of his eye at its barrel as it lay across his left shoulder.

Though a smaller weapon it was modeled after the famous Western rifle, which, with the ax, won the wilderness.

The stock was of hard maple wood delicately carved, and the barrel was comparatively long, slender, and of blue steel.

The sights were as fine-drawn as a hair.

When Henry stood the gun beside himself, it was just as tall as he.