n the Hall would think we were afraid."

And thereupon the challenge was accepted.

CHAPTER IX

THE SHOOTING CONTEST

It was decided that the shooting contest should take place the next day.

"It doesn't give us much time to practice," grumbled Fred.

"We might as well have it over with," answered Jack. "There is no use of
allowing it to interfere with our lessons or with the coming election for
officers."

"Do you think we can shoot as well as Brassy?"

"We can try, Fred. From all reports he's quite a wonderful shot. It seems
he comes from a place where everybody is used to firearms."

It had been decided to hold the contest on the regular range back of the
school grounds. Fred and Jack had been in favor of rifles, but the boy
from the West had voted in favor of pistols. As a consequence, Captain
Dale had told them the contest would be divided into two parts of a
possible fifteen points each, the first part to take place with pistols
and the second with rifles.

"Say, you fellows have just got to snow Brassy under!" cried Randy.
"Don't leave him a leg to stand on."

"That's easy enough to say, Randy," answered Jack. "But it isn't so easy
to do."

"I know it, and I was only fooling. However, do your best and make some
kind of showing against that loud-mouthed fellow."

Early on the morning of the contest Jack and Fred received permission to
take rifles and pistols and do a little practicing with the firearms.
They went out alone, not wishing to be disturbed by any one.

As they were crossing the fields they saw a figure coming from a side
road. The person approaching had the cape of his overcoat drawn up
tightly around his throat and wore his cap pulled down well over his
forehead.

"That fellow looked like Brassy Bangs," declared Fred, as the distant
figure leaped over a hedge and disappeared.

"It certainly did look like Brassy," answered his cousin. "But what in
the world could he be doing out so early in the morning?"

"Maybe he was practicing a little on his own account."

"He didn't have any gun with him."

"That's right. But he might have a pistol."

"He never struck me as a fellow who would get up so very early. He always
appeared to be rather lazy. And besides that, he didn't come from the
range. He came from the river road."

"I know it, Jack. Maybe he's been out all night for a good time with some
of those fellows from town."

After this the two Rovers lost no time in hurry