He was about to make the change, even though against his better judgment, when the man at the end of the telephone called out:
"Two shot holes in the bull on Number Four target!"
Dick drew a long breath of relief. He had fired his first shot not at his own but at his right-hand neighbor's target.
"Thank your lucky star, young man, for the sighting spots, or else your score would have been spoiled in the making," quietly remarked Sergeant Battiste, who was standing back, enjoying the lad's perplexity. "Let it be a lesson to you--always take a squint through your peep sight at the number below your target before you fire. One of those fives in Four Target was right in the center--a pin wheel! How much windage did you have?"
"A quarter-point of left wind," answered Dick.
"Just right--now, go ahead and make a possible."
And that is exactly what Drummer Comstock did--every one of his following shots hitting the bull's-eye for a perfect score, and to the present day he shows that page from his score book with great pride.
Dick's luck continued with him at 600 yards, which to many old and tried riflemen is one of the most interesting ranges. With forty-three points here and the fifty at 500 yards, Dick now had a total score of one hundred and eighty-two points.
"What's your total, Hank?" asked Dick while they rested during the noon hour.
"One hundred and sixty-three, so far; but do you know who has the highest total for the day?"