The creatures were about a hundred yards away, not any too near for an accurate shot, but the naturalists were much in desire of several as specimens.
Their long-distance rifles were equipped with telescopes, making it much easier, according to the naturalists, to sight an object at a hundred yards or more. Bob’s gun, however, did not have this convenience.
Mr. Lewis prepared to take aim.
“You take the animal to the extreme right, Howard,” he said to Mr. Holton. “Bob, you pick the one in the middle, and I’ll try to get one at the left. Tom,” he said to Dr. Kirshner, “suppose you count to three. When you say three we’ll all fire together. Let’s go, now.”
“One, two, THREE.”
Bang! Three rifles spoke as one.
Mr. Holton cried out in delight.
“Hurrah!” he said. “Got all of the ones we aimed at. Good work.”
The report of the guns caused great disorder in the herd, the graceful creatures leaping about at a speed that did their thin, muscular legs full justice. Before long they had disappeared behind the sand dunes.
“Now we’ll ride over and see what the ones killed look like,” said Mr. Lewis.