It was decided that the shooting contest should take place the next day.
“It doesn’t give us much time to practice,” grumbled Fred.
“We might as well have it over with,” answered Jack. “There is no use of allowing it to interfere with our lessons or with the coming election for officers.”
“Do you think we can shoot as well as Brassy?”
“We can try, Fred. From all reports he’s quite a wonderful shot. It seems he comes from a place where everybody is used to firearms.”
It had been decided to hold the contest on the regular range back of the school grounds. Fred and Jack had been in favor of rifles, but the boy from the West had voted in favor of pistols. As a consequence, Captain Dale had told them the contest would be divided into two parts of a possible fifteen points each, the first part to take place with pistols and the second with rifles.
“Say, you fellows have just got to snow Brassy under!” cried Randy. “Don’t leave him a leg to stand on.”
“That’s easy enough to say, Randy,” answered Jack. “But it isn’t so easy to do.”
“I know it, and I was only fooling. However, do your best and make some kind of showing against that loud-mouthed fellow.”
Early on the morning of the contest Jack and Fred received permission to take rifles and pistols and do a little practicing with the firearms. They went out alone, not wishing to be disturbed by any one.