s using an easy-triggered
rifle; Batley's has an unusually hard spring."

Lisle considered. Remembering Bella's remarks, he thought it would be
easy to lure the lad into a rash bet. He was headstrong and his manners
might have been more conciliatory, but Lisle, learning the amount of the
stakes, decided that his host should not have let the thing go so far.

"Crestwick doubled several times; he's stubborn and doesn't like to be
beaten," Gladwyne resumed. "I had the same ideas when I was as young as
he is."

"I've offered to let him off," Batley broke in. "I'd do so now only he's
kept me shooting for the last half-hour. As Gladwyne says, he's
obstinate, and it's a pity that he's wrong. If he'd trained his
wrist-tendons by using a harder trigger, he'd have made a passably good
shot."

Lisle was aware that while there was something to be said for Batley's
view, Crestwick was justified in contending that the lighter tension was
more adapted to the case of the average person; but he recognized that
the indulgent manner of the older men was calculated, he thought
intentionally, to exasperate the hot-headed lad.

"Well," he observed, addressing Batley, "you have the courage of your
convictions if you have offered to maintain them against all comers,
which I understand is what you have done."

The man nodded carelessly and Lisle went on:

"After all, since I dare say these gentlemen are more used to the
shotgun, your superiority doesn't prove very much."

Crestwick looked around at him quickly.

"Most of you Colonials can use the rifle; do you feel inclined to take
him on? You're a dark horse, but I'll double the stakes if he'll throw
you in."

This was what Lisle wanted, but he turned to the others.

"I've never had a small rifle in my hands--we use the 44-70, and I must
leave you to decide whether my shooting would be fair to Mr. Batley. In
that case, I'll put up half the stakes."

The men said there was no reason why he should not join, and Batley made
no protest, though Lisle fancied that he was not pleased. Lying down on
the mat, he took the light-springed rifle and the six cartridges handed
him and fixed his eyes on the target, which was a playing-card pinned to
a thick plank. He got the first shot off before he was quite ready--the
light pull was new to him--and somebody called that he had touched the
left top corner. The next shot was down at the bottom, and the four
following marks were scattered about t