But on examination the black proved to hold but eight bullet holes.  The other seven, however, all showed on the paper.

“Comes of not wiping out the dirt once in a while when you’re shooting black powder,” said Ware philosophically.

The crowd gazed upon him with admiration.

“That’s a remarkable group of shots to be literally thrown out at that speed,” muttered Thorne to Bob.  “Why, you could cover them with your hat!  Well, young man,” he addressed Elliott, “step up!”

But Elliott shook his head.

“Couldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole,” said he pleasantly.  “Mr. Ware has given me a new idea of what can be done with a revolver.  His work is especially good with that heavily charged arm.  I wish he would give us a little exhibition of how close he can shoot with my gun.  It’s supposed to be a more accurate weapon.”

“No, thank you,” spoke up Ware.  “I couldn’t hit a flock of feather pillers with your gun.  You see, I shoot by throw, and I’m used to the balance of my gun.”

Thorne finished making some notes.

“All right, boys,” he said, snapping shut his book.  “We’ll go down to headquarters next.”

IV

On the way down the narrow trail Bob found himself near the two men from his own camp.  He chaffed them good-humouredly over their lack of skill in the contests, to which they replied in the same spirit.

Arrived at camp, Thorne turned to face his followers, who gathered in a group to listen.

“Let’s have a little riding, boys,” said he.  “Bring out a horse or two and some saddles.  Each man must saddle his horse, circle that tree down the road, return, unsaddle and throw up both hands to show he’s done.”

Bob was amused to see how the aspect of the men changed at this announcement.  The lithe young fellows, who had been looking pretty sober over the records they had made at shooting, brightened visibly and ran with some eagerness to fetch out their own horses and saddles.  Some of the others were not so pleased, notably two of the young fellows from the valley towns.  Still others remained stolidly indifferent to a trial in which they could not hope to compete with the professional riders, but in which neither would they fail.

The results proved the accuracy of this reasoning.  A new set of stars rose to the ascendant, while the heroes of the upper meadow dropped into obscurity.  Most of the mountain men saddled expeditiously but soberly their strong and capable mountain horses, rode the required distance, and unsaddled deftly.  It was part of their everyday life to be able to do such things well.  The two town boys, and, to Bob’s surprise, one of his lumberjacks, furnished the comic relief.  They frightened the horses allotted them, to begin with; threw the saddles aboard in a mess which it was necessary to untangle; finally clambered on awkwardly and rode precariously amid the yells and laughter of the spectators.