Sandy ran off round the house in the direction of the kitchen, and was back again almost immediately with the desired articles.
“Papa,” said Max, holding them up to view, “won’t you load your pistol and show what you can do with it and these?”
“Yes, to please you, my boy,” the captain replied, taking out and loading the little weapon of warfare that Lulu began already to look upon as her property. Then taking the offered potatoes he threw them high in the air, fired, and they came down each with a hole through it.
“Admirably done, Captain!” exclaimed Mr. Austin. “I am considered a very fair marksman at home, but I could not do that.”
“There is nothing like trying, sir; and probably you excel me in many another thing,” the captain said pleasantly, as he stepped into the porch again and resumed his seat.
Then the gentlemen fell into discourse about the event commemorated by that day’s celebration.
“Your Declaration of Independence handles King George the Third with much severity,” remarked Mr. Austin, addressing Captain Raymond.
“Yes, sir; the truth is sometimes the severest thing that can be said,” returned the captain, with a good-humored smile.
“You are right there, sir,” pursued the Englishman. “I cannot say that I altogether admire the character of that monarch, though he had some excellent traits, and in reading of the struggle of the colonies for freedom, my sympathies have always been with them.
“As you are no doubt aware, many of the English of that day sympathized with them and rejoiced over their success. Fox, Burke, and Chatham had kept the merits of their cause well before the public mind.”