Page:The Swiss Family Robinson (Kingston).djvu/299

Rh A second trial with pistols ensued, in which Fritz again came off victor.

Then desiring the competitors to load with small shot, I threw a little board as high as I possibly could up in the air, each in turn aiming at and endeavouring to hit it before it touched the ground.

In this I found to my surprise that the sedate Ernest succeeded quite as well as his more impetuous brother Fritz.

As for Jack, his flying board escaped wholly uninjured.

After this followed archery, which I liked to encourage, foreseeing that a time might come when ammunition would fail; and in this practice I saw with pleasure that my elder sons were really skilful, while even little Franz acquitted himself well.

A pause ensued, and then I started a running match.

Fritz, Ernest, and Jack were to run to Falconhurst, by the most direct path. The first to reach the tree was to bring me, in proof of his success, a penknife I had accidentally left on the table in my sleeping-room.

At a given signal, away went the racers in fine style. Fritz and Jack, putting forth all their powers, took the lead at once, running in advance of Ernest, who started at a good steady pace, which I predicted he would be better able to maintain than such a furious rate as his brothers.

But long before we expected to see them back, a tremendous noise of galloping caused us to look with surprise towards the bridge, and Jack made his appearance, thundering along on his buffalo, with the onager and the donkey tearing after him riderless, and the whole party in the wildest spirits.

“Hollo,” I cried, “what sort of foot race do you call this, Master Jack?”

He shouted merrily as he dashed up to us; then flinging himself off, and saluting us in a playful way— “I very soon saw,” said he, “that I hadn't a chance; so