Be
careful with the cartridges; I don't like those jagged stick-up things on the
rim. Dick, do be careful."
"All right. I know how to load. I'll fire at the breakwater out there."
He fired, and Amomma ran away bleating. The bullet threw up a spurt of mud to
the right of the wood-wreathed piles.
"Throws high and to the right. You try, Maisie. Mind, it's loaded all round."
Maisie took the pistol and stepped delicately to the verge of the mud, her hand
firmly closed on the butt, her mouth and left eye screwed up.
Dick sat down on a tuft of bank and laughed. Amomma returned very cautiously.
He was accustomed to strange experiences in his afternoon walks, and, finding
the cartridge-box unguarded, made investigations with his nose. Maisie fired,
but could not see where the bullet went.
"I think it hit the post," she said, shading her eyes and looking out across
the sailless sea.
"I know it has gone out to the Marazion Bell-buoy," said Dick, with a chuckle.
"Fire low and to the left; then perhaps you"ll get it. Oh, look at Amomma!--
he"s eating the cartridges!"
Maisie turned, the revolver in her hand, just in time to see Amomma scampering
away from the pebbles Dick threw after him. Nothing is sacred to a billy-goat.
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