selves the port and starboard batteries.
Bumping and banging along at full speed over the uneven country, we
jumped the rabbits, and opened fire as they made off. Each had to stick
to his own side of the ship, of course. Uncle Jim's bird dog, his head
between our feet, his body under the seat, watched the proceedings,
whining. It looked like good fun to him, but it was forbidden. A
jackrabbit arrested in full flight by a charge of shot turns a very
spectacular somersault. The dog would stand about five rabbits. As the
sixth turned over, he executed a mad struggle, accomplished a flying
leap over the front wheel, was rolled over and over by the forward
momentum of the moving vehicle, scrambled to his feet, pounced on that
rabbit, and most everlastingly and savagely shook it up! Then Uncle Jim
descended and methodically and dispassionately licked the dog.

Jackrabbits were good small-rifle game. They started away on a slow
lope, but generally stopped and sat up if not too seriously alarmed. A
whistle sometimes helped bring them to a stand. After a moment's
inspection they went away, rapidly. With a .22 automatic one could turn
loose at all sorts of ranges at all speeds. It was a good deal of fun,
too, sneaking about afoot through the low brush, making believe that the
sage was a jungle, the tiny pellets express bullets, the rabbits
magnified--I am sorry for the fellow who cannot have fun sometimes
"pretending!" In the brush, too, dwelt little cottontails, very good to
eat. The jackrabbit was a pest, but the cottontail was worth getting. We
caught sight of him first in the bare open spaces between the bushes,
whereupon he proceeded rapidly to cover. It was necessary to shoot
rather quickly. The inexperienced would be apt to run forward eagerly,
hoping to catch a glimpse of the cottontail on the other side; but
always it would be in vain. That would be owing to the fact that the
little rabbit has a trick of apparently running through a brush at full
speed, but in reality of stopping abruptly and squatting at the roots.
Often it is possible to get a shot by scrutinizing carefully the last
place he was seen. He can stop as suddenly as a cow pony.

Often and often, like good strategic generals, we were induced by
circumstances to change our plans or our method of attack at the last
moment. On several occasions, while shooting in the fields of Egyptian
corn, I have killed a quail with my right barrel and a duck with my
left! C