All the goats were now moving toward the slain leader. But one was in advance. To Phil it seemed as big as Mr. Mackworth’s prize. Lower dropped the car until it was broadside on.
“It’s like a partridge just gettin’ up,” Phil muttered to himself, and following the moving form as he would a tricky bird on the wing, the anxious boy pulled the trigger.
“Missed!” groaned Phil as the goat stopped and threw its head from side to side.
“You got him!” shouted Mr. Mackworth.
For a moment there was a doubt of the result. As the Loon passed on Phil’s quarry stood shaking its head; its sharp, jet black horns almost parallel with the rocks. Then it leaped forward suddenly, turned, fell on its knees, sprang up again and bounded toward the eastern slope of the hill. Twenty other goats scrambled after it, but they all stopped and crowded together as the flying animal again sprang into the air, fell on the slope and went rolling like a stone down the face of the hill.
“You’ll find him in the timber,” commented Mr. Mackworth, “and he’s a fine one.”
After breakfast the entire camp proceeded on horseback to the bottom of the hill where the morning adventure had taken place. The bodies of the two goats were recovered after much trouble. Assisted by Phil, Sam Skinner and “Grizzly” Hosmer worked on the heads and skins of the animals until noon. Skinner pronounced the animals extraordinary specimens. The skins, in good condition, were covered with long, white hair, tinged with a little yellow on the belly, but promising snow whiteness when cleaned. Mr. Mackworth’s prize carried rapierlike horns, twenty-three inches long, while Phil had to be satisfied with nineteen inches. Mr. Mackworth’s goat weighed 316 pounds and Phil’s 298; but the latter was younger and would, when grown, have eclipsed the heavier animal.
“Either one ought to satisfy any hunter,” exclaimed Captain Ludington with admiration when the skins had been spread out.
“Then I’m glad to make you a present of mine,” answered Phil promptly.
“A present?” repeated the English officer. “To me? By no means. I couldn’t think of it.”