"Ask him! don't talk to me," I answered, and next instant brought down
number five, the finest shot of the lot.

A sound of wonder and applause came from all the audience, and I saw
Marie wave a white handkerchief.

"That's the end," said the referee.

"One minute before you stir," I answered. "I want to shoot at something
else that is not in the match, just to see if I can kill two birds with
one bullet like the Heer Pereira."

He granted my request with a nod, holding up his hand to prevent the
audience from moving, and bidding Pereira, who tried to interrupt, to be
silent.

Now, while the match was in progress I had noticed two falcons about the
size of the British peregrine wheeling round and round high over the
kloof, in which doubtless they bred, apparently quite undisturbed by the
shooting. Or, perhaps, they had their eyes upon some of the fallen
geese. I took the rifle and waited for a long while, till at last my
opportunity came. I saw that the larger hen falcon was about to cross
directly over the circle of its mate, there being perhaps a distance of
ten yards between them. I aimed; I judged--for a second my mind was a
kind of calculating machine--the different arcs and speeds of the birds
must be allowed for, and the lowest was ninety yards away. Then, with
something like a prayer upon my lips, I pressed while every eye stared
upwards.

Down came the lower falcon; a pause of half a second, and down came the