WE PART FROM FRIENDS 



but we can't hold a candle to Bill. The best we 

 could probably do, on an average, at fifteen to 

 twenty paces, would be to put three to four bul- 

 lets out of six in a playing-card, which would be 

 good shooting at a man, but Bill can put every 

 ball just where he wants 'em to go. I've seen 

 him shoot at a five-spot and put a ball in each 

 spot just as somebody would call them off to him, 

 hke this, * Centre! upper right! upper left! lower 

 right! lower left!' putting the balls through the 

 centre of each spot as accurately as you could 

 punch them with a nail and hammer. And he 

 can do nearly as well, too, mounted and on the 

 run. But, come, men, supper's getting cold." 



After supper, although his recently wounded 

 arm was still somewhat sore. Jack got out his fid- 

 dle and played several tunes, and we all joined in 

 singing songs. 



In course of conversation I had asked Captain 

 Saunders what had become of my former patron. 

 Lieutenant Lang, not having seen him about the 

 garrison recently. 



"Oh, Lang's out and gone — resigned by spe- 

 cial request. Went in on the last Santa Fe 

 mail-coach," replied the captain. "Although you 

 straightened up his company papers and saved 

 him — or his rich daddy, rather — from having to 

 pay Uncle Sam a lot of money to square up his 

 accounts, still it was evident in many ways that 

 he was totally incompetent to manage a company, 



293 



