Hardy said; "I have plenty to do, and, with a
husband and two sons and two daughters to defend me, I do not
consider that it is essential. But I think that it will be a nice
amusement for the girls."
And so next morning, and nearly every morning afterward, the girls
practiced with the light rifle at a mark, until in time their hands
became so steady that at short distances of sixty or seventy yards
they could beat their brothers, who were both really good shots.
This was principally owing to the fact that the charge of powder
used in these rifles was so small that there was scarcely any
recoil to disturb the aim. It was some time before they could
manage to hit anything flying; but they were very proud one evening
when, having been out late with the boys, a fat goose came along
overhead, and the girls firing simultaneously, he fell with both
bullets in his body. After this they, too, carried their rifles out
with them during their rides.
Any one who had known Maud and Ethel Hardy at home would have
scarcely recognized them now in the sunburnt-looking lassies, who
sat upon their horses as if they had never known any other seat in
their lives. Their dress, too, would have been most curious to
English eyes. They wore wide straw hats, with a white scarf wound
round the top to keep off the heat.
Pages:
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159