inal position of the cross is precisely ascertained. Each
bullet-hole being nicely pegged up as it is made, it is easy to
ascertain its circumference. To this I believe they usually, if not
invariably, measure, where none of the balls touch the cross; but if the
cross be driven, they measure from it to the center of the bullet-hole.
To make a draw shot, therefore, between two who drive the cross, it is
necessary that the center of both balls should pass directly through the
cross; a thing that very rarely happens.

_The Bite_ alone remained to shoot. Billy wiped out his rifle carefully,
loaded her to the top of his skill, and handed her to me. "Now," said
he, "Lyman, draw a fine bead, but not too fine; for Soap-stick bears up
her ball well. Take care and don't touch the trigger until you've got
your bead; for she's spring-trigger'd and goes mighty easy: but you
hold her to the place you want her, and if she don't go there, dang old
Roper."

I took hold of Soap-stick, and lapsed immediately into the most hopeless
despair. I am sure I never handled as heavy a gun in all my life. "Why,
Billy," said I, "you little mortal, you! what do you use such a gun as
this for?"

"Look at the bull's-eye yonder!" said he.

"True," said I, "but _I_ can't shoot her; it is impossible."

"Go 'long, you old coon!" said Billy; "I see what you're at;" intimating
that all this was merely to make the coming shot the more remarkable.
"Daddy's little boy don't shoot anything but the old Soap-stick here
to-day, I know."

The judges, I knew, were becoming impatient, and, withal, my situation
was growing more embarrassing every second; so I e'en resolved to try
the Soap-stick without further parley.

I stepped out, and the most intense interest was excited all around me,
and it flashed like electricity around the target, as I judged from the
anxious gaze of all in that direction.

Policy dictated that I should fire with a falling rifle, and I adopted
this mode; determining to fire as soon as the sights came on a line with
the diamond, _bead_ or no _bead_. Accordingly, I commenced lowering old
Soap-stick; but, in spite of all my muscular powers, she was strictly
obedient to the laws of gravitation, and came down with a uniformly
accelerated velocity. Before I could arrest her downward flight, she had
not only passed the target, but was making rapid encroachments on my own
toes.

"Why, he's the weakest man in the arms I ever seed," said one,