38 BIG JIM AND THE ANTELOPE. 



vipon his astonished vision, — he had been shooting at a bunch of dead grass ! 

 Shouldering his rifle he now rejoined the caravan, and was received by the 

 wags who had witnessed his exploit, as follows : 



" Ho, Jim ! I say, Jim ! Did you kill it ?" 



" Hang me, but it stood fire well,— didn't it ?" 



" Reckon you wanted a bigger charge." 



" Strange you couldn't Knock it cold at that distance !" 



" May be your gun's out of order ?" 



" Yes. I'll bet a stewed crane of it. Have you noticed the " sights " 

 lately?" 



" Why, Jim. Really you've had had luck ! What, within sixty yards 

 and not kill ? I can beat that, all day !" 



" Ha, ha, Jim ! Shoot him grass !" 



This rally was received, by our hero, in good part, who joined in the 

 sport with as much gusto as though some one else were the victim. 



The day, however, was not permitted to pass without another display of 

 the prowess of " Big Jim." 



A doe antelope, attracted by the strange appearance of the moving cara- 

 van, and impelled by its innate curiosity, had ventured to a tempting prox- 

 imity. Mounted upon a fleet horse and supposing he could easily ride 

 down the antelope, our hero started in pursuit, 



' Intently surveying the passing scene, the agile animal permitted him to 

 advance within a few yards of her before she took the alarm. Now was 

 a novel race. Away went antelope and away w^nt Jim, in full chase. 

 The former was soon far ahead, and stopped to gaze upon her pursuer. 



Supposing she had become tired and was about to yield, our hero came 

 dashing on, impetuously, under whip and spur, fully intent upon her cap- 

 ture. But, again, away went antelope, and away went Jim, whose steed, 

 ambitious as its rider, and proud in its own fleetness, strained every nerve 

 for the crisis. Even the antelope seemed to have found a champion to 

 contest her unrivalled and universally acknowledged superiority. With 

 distended mouth and protruding tongue, panting in the excitement of fear, 

 and foaming in the vehemency of eflbrt, she gained but slowly ui)on the 

 bounding charger, as both swept over the prairie ahnost with speed of the 

 storm-wind ! 



Now, again, she stops to gaze upon her pursuer. By this time all be- 

 gan to feel an interest in the result of the strange race. The word re- 

 sounded: 



" Go it, Jim ! you'll beat the beater, yet !" 



Once more, the antelope shoots from before both horse and rider, like 

 the swift-winged arrow twanged from a giant's bow ! 



A broad ravine intercepting her course was cleared at a bound, and left 

 the flying animal far upon the other side. At a bound the steed also 

 cleared the barrier, but, in striking upon the opposite bank, it plunged 

 headlong upon the yielding ground, tossing its rider far away in advance, 

 all safely sprawling in a sand heap. 



The luckless wight, on recovering, found his noble beast so sprained by 

 the fall it could scarcely stand, and its every nerve vibrating witii frightful 

 tremors. Of course here was the finale of the race, as both now re- 

 fumed to the caravan, — the recent rider, on foot, leading his jaded steed, — 



