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
of cartridges, while Mr. Hardy took his rifle; and so they started
off to their shooting ground.
Here their father instructed them in the use of their revolving
carbines, and then, after some practice with caps only, allowed
them to fire a few shots each. The firing was certainly rather
wild, owing to the difficulty they felt at first of firing without
shutting their eyes; but after a few weeks' practice they became
very steady, and in three or four months could make pretty certain
of a bull's-eye at three hundred yards. Of all this Mrs. Hardy and
the girls knew nothing; but there was not the same secrecy observed
with reference to their shotguns. These they took home with them,
and Mr.
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