Captain Hargate had
been devoted to field sports and was an excellent naturalist. The
latter taste Frank had inherited from him. His father had brought
home from India--where the regiment had been stationed until it
returned for its turn of home service four years before he left
New Zealand--a very large quantity of skins of birds which he
had shot there. These he had stuffed and mounted, and so dexterous
was he at the work, so natural and artistic were the groups of
birds, that he was enabled to add considerably to his income by
sending these up to the shop of a London naturalist. He had instructed
Frank in his methods, and had given him one of the long blowguns
used by some of the hill tribes in India. The boy had attained
such dexterity in its use that he was able with his clay pellets
to bring down sitting birds, however small, with almost unerring
accuracy.
These he stuffed and mounted, arranging them with a taste and skill
which delighted the few visitors at his mother's cottage.
Frank was ready to join in a game of football or cricket when
wanted, and could hold his own in either. But he vastly preferred
to go out for long walks with his blowgun, his net, and his collecting
boxes.
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