At evening, when the lamp is lit, Around the fire my parents sit; They sit at home and talk and sing, And do not play at anything.
Now, with my little gun, I crawl All in the dark along the wall, And follow round the forest track Away behind the sofa back.
There, in the night, where none can spy, All in my hunter"s camp I lie,And play at books that I have read Till it is time to go to bed.
These are the hills, these are the woods, These are my starry solitudes;And there the river by whose brink The roaring lions come to drink.
I see the others far away
As if in firelit camp they lay,
And I, like to an Indian scout, Around their party prowled about.
So, when my nurse comes in for me, Home I return across the sea,And go to bed with backward looks At my dear Land of Story-books.
--R. L. Stevenson
Author.-Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a Scottish essayist, novelist, and poet. His poems for children are to be found in A Child"s Garden of Verses. His Treasure Island and Kidnapped are splendid books for boys. His style is light, easy, and graceful. He died at Vailima, Samoan Islands.
General Notes.-What did the boy most wish to be? Where was theforest track? Tell about all the different characters you have acted.
Drawn by Elsie Jean Mckissock
The Hunter