"No, I did not, nephew," answered Retief, "but doubtless they must have
done so, or the same bullet could not have pierced both."

Both Hans and I only looked at each other and laughed. Still we said
nothing.

From the spectators under the cliff there came a murmur of
congratulation not unmixed with astonishment. Again Pereira loaded,
aimed, and loosed at a rather high goose--it may have been about seventy
yards in the air. He struck it right enough, for the feathers flew from
its breast; but to my astonishment the bird, after swooping down as
though it were going to fall, recovered itself and flew away straight
out of sight.

"Tough birds, these geese!" exclaimed Pereira. "They can carry as much
lead as a sea-cow."

"Very tough indeed," answered Retief doubtfully. "Never before did I
see a bird fly away with an ounce ball through its middle."

"Oh! he will drop dead somewhere," replied Pereira as he rammed his
powder down.

Within four minutes more Pereira had fired his two remaining shots,
selecting, as he was entitled to do, low and easy young geese that came
over him slowly. He killed them both, although the last of them, after
falling, waddled along the ground into a tuft of high grass.

Now murmurs of stifled applause broke from the audience, to which
Pereira bowed in acknowledgment.