w, put the piece to your shoulder, aim at that white target,
and pull the trigger."

"But there is no cap on," I said.

"Caps are things of the past, Nat," he said smiling, "except that they
are inclosed in the cartridge. Now, then, hold your piece tightly to
your shoulder, take careful aim--but quickly--and fire."

I tried to obey him exactly, but the rifle seemed very heavy to hold up
firmly, and the sight at the end of the barrel seemed to dance about;
but I got it pretty steady for the moment, drew the trigger, there was a
sharp report, and the stock of the piece seemed to give me a thump on
the shoulder as I heard a dull _clang_.

"Well done, Nat; a good beginning, boy. There, your bullet has hit the
target just on the extreme edge."

"What, that black star? Is that the place, uncle?"

"To be sure it is, my boy. I thought that rifle would be too heavy for
you; but if you can do that the first time, it decides me to keep it."

The man smiled approval, and my uncle took the rifle in his hand.

"Brush!" shouted the man, and a brush started out of a hole in the wall,
and touched the target over with white-wash.

"Now for the double gun," said my uncle. "Try this one, Nat."

I took the gun and put it to my shoulder, aiming at the target; but it
seemed heavier than the rifle, and the sight wavered about.

"Try this one, Nat," said my uncle; and he handed me another with rather
shorter barrels.

"I like this one, uncle," I said. "It's ever so much lighter."

"No, sir," said the man smiling; "it's half a pound heavier. It is the
make. The weight of the gun is more central, and it goes up to the eye
better."

"Yes," said my uncle; "it is a handy little gun. Load that the same as
you did before."

I found the construction so similar that I had no difficulty in loading
both barrels of the gun, and it seemed such easy work to just slip in a
couple of little rolls of brown paper as compared to the way in which I
had seen men load guns with a ramrod.

"Now, Nat," said my uncle in a quick businesslike way; "once more, you
must remember that a gun is not a plaything, and though you are a boy in
years you must begin to acquire the serious ways of a man. To handle a
gun properly is an art, perfection in which means safety to yourself and
friends, durability to the gun, and death quick and painless for the
object at which you fire. Now then. No hesitation, boy: raise your gun
quickly to your shoulder, t