brought the adventurer within the category。
〃You've saved your bacon； Quartermaster； as they say
in the settlements of their creaturs；〃 cried Pathfinder；
laughing； 〃but it would take a long time to build a house
with a hammer no better than yours。 Jasper； here； will
show you how a nail is to be started； or the lad has lost
some of his steadiness of hand and sartainty of eye。 You
would have done better yourself； Lieutenant； had you not
been so much bent on soldierizing your figure。 Shooting
is a natural gift； and is to be exercised in a natural way。〃
〃We shall see； Pathfinder； I call that a pretty attempt
at a nail； and I doubt if the 55th has another hammer； as
you call it； that can do just the same thing over again。〃
〃Jasper is not in the 55th； but there goes his rap。〃
As the Pathfinder spoke； the bullet of Eau…douce hit the
nail square； and drove it into the target； within an inch of
the head。
〃Be all ready to clench it； boys！〃 cried out Pathfinder；
stepping into his friend's tracks the instant they were
vacant。 〃Never mind a new nail； I can see that； though
the paint is gone； and what I can see I can hit； at a hun…
dred yards； though it were only a mosquito's eye。 Be
ready to clench！〃
The rifle cracked； the bullet sped its way； and the head
of the nail was buried in the wood； covered by the piece
of flattened lead。
〃Well； Jasper； lad；〃 continued Pathfinder； dropping the
butt…end of his rifle to the ground； and resuming the dis…
course； as if he thought nothing of his own exploit； 〃you
improve daily。 A few more tramps on land in my com…
pany； and the best marksman on the frontiers will have
occasion to look keenly when he takes his stand ag'in you。
The Quartermaster is respectable； but he will never get any
farther； whereas you； Jasper； have the gift； and may one
day defy any who pull trigger。〃
〃Hoot； hoot！〃 exclaimed Muir； 〃do you call hitting
the head of the nail respectable only； when it's the per…
fection of the art？ Any one the least refined and elevated
in sentiment knows that the delicate touches denote the
master； whereas your sledge…hammer blows come from the
rude and uninstructed。 If 'a miss is as good as a mile；' a
hit ought to be better； Pathfinder； whether it wound or
kill。〃
〃The surest way of settling this rivalry will be to make
another trial；〃 observed Lundie； 〃and that will be of the
potato。 You're Scotch； Mr。 Muir； and might fare better
were it a cake or a thistle； but frontier law has declared
for the American fruit； and the potato it shall be。〃
As Major Duncan manifested some impatience of man…
ner； Muir had too much tact to delay the sports any longer
with his discursive remarks； but judiciously prepared him…
self for the next appeal。 To say the truth； the Quarter…
master had little or no faith in his own success in the
trial of skill that was to follow； nor would he have been so
free in presenting himself as a competitor at all had he an…
ticipated it would have been made； but Major Duncan；
who was somewhat of a humorist in his own quiet Scotch
way； had secretly ordered it to be introduced expressly to
mortify him； for； a laird himself； Lundie did not relish
the notion that one who might claim to be a gentleman
should bring discredit on his caste by forming an unequal
alliance。 As soon as everything was prepared； Muir was
summoned to the stand； and the potato was held in readi…
ness to be thrown。 As the sort of feat we are about to
offer to the reader； however； may be new to him； a word in
explanation will render the matter more clear。 A potato
of large size was selected； and given to one who stood at
the distance of twenty yards from the stand。 At the word
〃heave！〃 which was given by the marksman； the vegetable
was thrown with a gentle toss into the air； and it was the
business of the adventurer to cause a ball to pass through
it before it reached the ground。
The Quartermaster； in a hundred experiments； had once
succeeded in accomplishing this difficult feat； but he now
essayed to perform it again； with a sort of blind hope that
was fated to be disappointed。 The potato was thrown in
the usual manner； the rifle was discharged； but the flying
target was untouched。
〃To the right…about； and fall out； Quartermaster；〃 said
Lundie； smiling at the success of the artifice。 〃The honor
of the silken calash will lie between Jasper Eau…douce and
Pathfinder。〃
〃And how is the trial to end； Major？〃 inquired the
latter。 〃Are we to have the two…potato trial； or is it to be
settled by centre and skin？〃
〃By centre and skin； if there is any perceptible differ…
ence； otherwise the double shot must follow。〃
〃This is an awful moment to me； Pathfinder；〃 observed
Jasper； as he moved towards the stand； his face actually
losing its color in intensity of feeling。
Pathfinder gazed earnestly at the young man； and then；
begging Major Duncan to have patience for a moment； he
led his friend out of the hearing of all near him before he
spoke。
〃You seem to take this matter to heart； Jasper？〃 the
hunter remarked； keeping his eyes fastened on those of
the youth。
〃I must own； Pathfinder； that my feelings were never
before so much bound up in success。〃
〃And do you so much crave to outdo me； an old and
tried friend？ and that； as it might be； in my own way？
Shooting is my gift； boy； and no common hand can equal
mine。〃
〃I know it I know it； Pathfinder； but yet 〃
〃But what； Jasper； boy？ speak freely； you talk to a
friend。〃
The young man compressed his lips； dashed a hand
across his eye； and flushed and paled alternately； like a
girl confessing her love。 Then； squeezing the other's
hand； he said calmly； like one whose manhood has over…
come all other sensations； 〃I would lose an arm； Path…
finder； to be able to make an offering of that calash to
Mabel Dunham。〃
The hunter dropped his eyes to the ground； and as he
walked slowly back towards the stand； he seemed to ponder
deeply on what he had just heard。
〃You never could succeed in the double trial； Jasper！〃
he suddenly remarked。
〃Of that I am certain； and it troubles me。〃
〃What a creature is mortal man！ he pines for things
which are not of his gift and treats the bounties of Provi…
dence lightly。 No matter； no matter。 Take your station；
Jasper； for the Major is waiting； and harke； lad； I must
touch the skin； for I could not show my face in the garri…
son with less than that。〃
〃I suppose I must submit to my fate；〃 returned Jasper；
flushing and losing his color as before； 〃but I will make
the effort； if I die。〃
〃What a thing is mortal man！〃 repeated Pathfinder；
falling back to allow his friend room to take his arm； 〃he
overlooks his own gifts； and craves those of another！〃
The potato was thrown； Jasper fired； and the shout that
followed preceded the announcement of the fact that he
had driven his bullet through its centre； or so nearly so as
to merit that award。
〃Here is a competitor worthy of you； Pathfinder；〃 cried
Major Duncan with delight； as the former took his station；
〃and we may look to some fine shooting in the double
trial。〃
〃What a thing is mortal man！〃 repeated the hunter；
scarcely seeming to notice what was passing around him；
so much were his thoughts absorbed in his own reflections。
〃Toss！〃
The potato was tossed； the rifle cracked； it was re…
marked just as the little black ball seemed stationary in
the air； for the marksman evidently took unusual heed to
his aim； and then a look of disappointment and wonder
succeeded among those who caught the falling target。
〃Two holes in one？〃 called out the Major。
〃The skin； the skin！〃 was the answer； 〃only the skin！〃
〃How's this； Pathfinder？ Is Jasper Eau…douce to carry
off the honors of the day？〃
〃The calash is his；〃 returned the other； shaking his
head and walking quietly away from the stand。 〃What a
creature is mortal man！ never satisfied with his own gifts；
but for ever craving that which Providence denies！〃
As Pathfinder had not buried his bullet in the potato；
but had cut through the skin； the prize was immediately
adjudged to Jasper。 The calash was in the hands of the
latter when the Quartermaster approached； and with a
polite air of cordiality he wished his successful rival joy of
his victory。
〃But now you've got the calash； lad； it's of no use to
you；〃 he added； 〃it will never make a sail； nor even an
ensign。 I'm thinking； Eau…douce； you'd no' be sorry to
see its value in good siller of the king？〃
〃Money cannot buy it； Lieutenant；〃 returned Jasper；
whose eye lighted with all the fire of success and joy。 〃I
would rather have won this calash than have obtained fifty
new suits of sails for the _Scud！_〃
〃Hoot； hoot； lad！ you are going mad like all the rest of
them。 I'd even venture to offer half a guinea for the trifle
rather than it should lie kicking about in the cabin of
your cutter； and in the end become an ornament for the
head of a squaw。〃
Although Jasper did not know that the wary Quarter…
master had not offered half the actual cost of the prize； he
heard the proposition with indifference。 Shaking his head
in the negative； he advanced towards the stage； wher