s gun.
He turned with a grand bow, and levelled his piece once more. But
triumph is not always victory. His previous fine shooting had aroused
his vanity, and now the girls' applause quite flustered him. He missed
his aim! Worse still, not being learned in the polite art of mastering
his feelings, he became vexed, and in the next round actually missed his
target entirely.

Poor shooting is sometimes "catching." Now, neither Reds nor Blues
distinguished themselves, until finally only one shot was left to be
fired on each side; and, so close was the contest, those two shots would
decide the day.

It lay between Ben Buster and Donald.

Each side felt sure that its champion would score a bull's-eye, and if
both should accomplish this, the Reds would win by two counts. But if
Ben should hit the bull's-eye, and Don's bullet should fall outside of
even the very innermost circle, the Blues would be the victors. It was
simply a question of nerve. Ben Buster, proud of his importance, marched
to position, feeling sure of a bull's-eye. But, alas, for
over-confidence! The shot failed to reach that paradise of bullets, but
fell within the first circle, and so near the bull's-eye that it was
likely to make the contest a tie, unless Donald should score a centre.

Don had now achieved the feat of gaining nine bull's-eyes out of a
possible fifteen. He must make it ten, and that with a confusing chorus
of voices calling to him: "Another bull's-eye, Don!" "One more!" "He
can't do it!" "Fire lower!" "Fire higher!" "Don't miss!"

It was a thrilling moment, and any boy would have been excited. Don was.
He felt his heart thump and his face flush, as he stepped up to the
firing-line. Turning for an instant he saw Dorry looking at him proudly,
and as she caught his glance, she gave her head a saucy, confident
little toss as if sure that he would not miss.

"Ay! ay! Dot," said Don under his breath; and, reassured by her
confidence, he calmly raised the gun to his shoulder and took careful
aim.

It seemed an age to the spectators before the report broke upon the
sudden hush of expectation. Then, those who were watching Don saw him
bend his head forward with a quick motion, and for a second peer
anxiously at the target. Then he drew back carelessly, but with a
satisfaction that he could not quite conceal.

A few moments later, the excited Reds came running up, wildly waving
Don's target in their arms. His last bullet had been the finest s