STEPHEN MARTIN. 145 



are a few pigeons left,, I'll shoot you a match of two each. 

 We want to shoot off our guns, any way. What d'ye 

 say?" 



I had left my gun standing in the corner while I had 

 gone on the front porch for something, and had just re- 

 turned when Steve made this proposal. "All right/' said . 

 I, "we might as well shoot at a couple more and empty 

 our guns before going home." He picked up his gun, 

 and as I reached for mine Ken King quickly passed me 

 his and with a wink said: "Take mine." 



Without thought I went to the score after Steve had 

 killed one of his birds and missed the other, and killed 

 both of mine. The boys laughed, and Steve looked sur- 

 prised as I hastily walked back and put up King's 

 gun. While they were talking things over outside King 1 

 asked me: "Do you know why I gave you my gun to 

 shoot?" 



"No, but you gave me a wink and I asked no ques- 

 tions. Why did you do it?" 



"When you went out on the front porch Steve drew 

 the wads and took the shot out of both barrels of your 

 gun. See the joke? They're talking about it now." 



I went out and took my three birds; Steve paid for 

 four and merely remarked: "Well, you beat me this 

 time ; we'll have to try it over again next Saturday." 



As we got ready to start I stepped back and shot off 

 both barrels, and Steve asked: "What gun did you kill 

 the pigeons with? I thought it was your own." 



"No, I used Ken King's to see how it shoots, as we 

 may want to trade. It shot very well; couldn't have 

 done better. When I shot off my gun just now it made 

 a light report; perhaps I forgot to put shot in it." 



Steve made no reply, but Pete Loeser said: "I kess, 

 Stefe, he dinks dere vas no shot dere; hey, Stefe?" 



