Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

On the Pampas by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty
page 16 of 312 (05%)
six shots each. There is a spare chamber to each, which is very
quickly shifted in place of the one discharged; so that each of you
could fire twelve shots in a very short time. They will carry up to
five hundred yards. They are a new invention, but all accounts
agree that they are an excellent one. I have obtained leave from
Mr. Harcourt, who lives three miles from here, to put up a target
at the foot of some bare hills on his property, and we will walk
over there twice a week to practice. I used to be considered a
first-rate shot with a rifle when I was a young man in America, and
I have got down a rifle for my own use. I do not want you to speak
about what we are doing to your mamma, or indeed to any one. We
shall keep our rifles at a cottage near where we shoot, and no one
need know anything about it. It is not likely that we shall have
any trouble with the Indians, and it is of no use making your mamma
uncomfortable by the thought of the probability of such a thing."

As Mr. Hardy spoke the boys were ready to dance with delight, and
this was increased when they turned into the gunsmith's shop, and
were shown the arms which their father had bought for this
expedition.

Mr. Hardy had already an excellent double-barreled gun, and he had
now purchased a long and heavy rifle carrying a conical ball. In
addition to the boys' carbines, he had bought them each a light
double-barreled gun. Besides these were two brace of Colt's
revolving pistols. These were all new; but there were in addition
two or three second-hand double-barreled guns for the use of his
servants, in case of necessity, and three light rifles of the sort
used for rook-shooting. Altogether, it was quite an armory. The
carbines were in neat cases; and the boys carried these and a box
DigitalOcean Referral Badge