“Now, by gwacious!” cried Archie; “I’m going to twy this wifle. Let me have a cawd out of that pack.”

Bruce did so, and Cholly hastened to pin the card onto the tree. It happened to be the ace of spades.

When the card was fastened to the tree, Archie retired a respectable distance and prepared to shoot.

“Right here,” said Frank, “is where he finds out it was not his rifle that caused his bad shooting.”

“And he is liable to want to change back after he finds it out,” grunted Browning.

“Well, I shall change with him if he does,” said Frank.

“What? You wouldn’t give up that rifle now you have it?”

“If he wants to do so, I shall change back without a word.”

“Well, you are queer!”

Archie lifted the rifle to his shoulder and aimed long and carefully. The weapon was seen to wobble in a way that was actually painful to witness.

“He couldn’t hit a house!” growled Bruce, in disgust.

Then the dude fired, and, accompanied by Cholly, he hastened forward to the tree.

A great shout went up from both city sportsmen.

“I knew it, deah boy!” cried Archie, in great delight. “Didn’t I tell you so?”

[100]

“Is it possible he hit the tree?” muttered Browning, in surprise, as he and Frank went forward to see what had happened.

“Look there, gentlemen!” cried Archie, proudly pointing at the card. “That shows what I can do with a gun that will shoot, don’t yer ’now!”

“By Jawve! it’s wonderful!” exclaimed Cholly, in amazement.

“Not at all, deah boy—not at all!” declared Archie, stiffening up. “I knew what I could do with a good wifle.”

“Of course,” agreed Cholly, doubtingly; “but it is—aw—ah—wemarkable what a differwunce there ith in the two wifles.”

“Well, may I be hanged!” grunted Bruce Browning, as he stared at the card, as if doubting the evidence of his eyes.

“He cut out the spot all right,” laughed Frank.

“I suppose such miracles do happen occasionally,” muttered the big Yale man; “but it seems hard to believe.”

“I’ll have to give my new rifle a trial now,” said Merry, as he took the cards from Bruce and ran them over till he came to the ace of clubs. “We’ll see if I can shoot with it.”

“But I hope, thir,” said Archie, quickly, “that you will not expect me to change back if you find you cawn’t hit anything with it?”

“Oh, no,” smiled Frank; “but I rather fancy it will shoot better than you thought, Mr. Elmer.”

“I gave it a verwy good twial,” said Archie, stiffly.

[101]

“Verwy,” nodded Cholly.

The card was fastened to the tree, and then they retreated till the spot upon it scarcely showed.

There was a hurriedly whispered conversation between the city sportsmen as Frank took his position and prepared to shoot.

Merry secured a quick but careful aim and fired. Then, with Bruce, he walked forward to see the result of the shot.

The result proved entirely satisfactory, for Frank had cut out the spot on the card.

“That settles it,” said Frank. “I knew well enough that this rifle must shoot perfectly unless it had been damaged since leaving the factory, Mr. Elmer.”

There was no answer, and both Yale men turned to look for the city sportsmen, expecting to find them near at hand. What was their astonishment to see Archie and Cholly hastening away toward the village as fast as their legs would carry them.

“Why, they didn’t wait to see the result of the shot!” exclaimed Frank, not a little surprised.

“Huh!” grunted Browning. “It’s plain they thought you wouldn’t hit the card; that’s why they didn’t stay.”

Frank began to laugh again.

“And I’ll wager something they were afraid I would want to trade back, for all of what I said.”

“That’s it,” grinned Bruce. “That’s why they are running away.”

“Well, let them go. Perhaps Elmer would not have been so perfectly satisfied with his trade had he remained[102] to see me try this rifle. Of course, I did not want to beat the fellow, for he had a generous fit after my little encounter with Dugan, and he actually offered me the weapon as a gift.”

“Under the circumstances, you may be well satisfied with what you did, for you gave him a rifle he coveted and fifty dollars in money in exchange for what he had offered you as a present.”

“Still, he is such a tenderfoot that it almost seems like taking an advantage.”

Frank took a silver half-dollar from his pocket and flung it far into the air; as it turned, glittering in the sunshine, he fired at it, hit it, sent it flying far out into the stream.

“That is quite enough,” he decided. “Now I know this rifle will shoot just as well as the other one. John Caribou will be well pleased with it.”

“It will be a fine present for the Indian.”

“But not more than he deserves.”

“No.”

“I read the fellow’s character aright when I first saw him. I have seen all sorts of Indians, and I will say that, as a rule, a redskin can’t be trusted. The Indians of the West are treacherous, and still, occasionally, one is found who has all the high ideas of honor and justice entertained by the simple aborigines of early days. When such a one is found, you may trust him with your life. I studied Caribou, and I saw he had a good head, a kind face, and eyes that looked squarely and frankly into my own. Then, despite Diamond’s prejudice against the[103] fellow, I trusted him. I do not believe I could send him anything that would be valued more by him than this handsome rifle.”

“You are right in that, Merry. It is because you remember your friends and show them that you appreciate their frien............