ThepistolwastheoutcomeofthatsearchItcouldonlybeusedonthemuddiestforeshoreofthebeach，farawayfromthebathing-machinesandpierheads，belowthegrassyslopesofFortKeelingThetideranoutnearlytwomilesonthatcoast，andthemany-colouredmud-banks，touchedbythesun，sentupalamentablesmellofdeadweedItwaslateintheafternoonwhenDickandMaisiearrivedontheirground，Amommatrottingpatientlybehindthem-
’Mf！’saidMaisie，sniffingtheair’Iwonderwhatmakestheseasosmelly？Idon’tlikeit！’
’Youneverlikeanythingthatisn’tmadejustforyou，’saidDickbluntly’Givemethecartridges，andI’lltryfirstshotHowfardoesoneoftheselittlerevolverscarry？’
’Oh，halfamile，’saidMaisie，promptly’AtleastitmakesanawfulnoiseBecarefulwiththecartridges；Idon’tlikethosejaggedstick-upthingsontherimDick，dobecareful。’
’AllrightIknowhowtoloadI’llfireatthebreakwateroutthere。’
Hefired，andAmommaranawaybleatingThebulletthrewupaspurtofmudtotherightofthewood-wreathedpiles-
’ThrowshighandtotherightYoutry，MaisieMind，it’sloadedallround。’
Maisietookthepistolandsteppeddelicatelytothevergeofthemud，herhandfirmlyclosedonthebutt，hermouthandlefteyescrewedup-
DicksatdownonatuftofbankandlaughedAmommareturnedverycautiouslyHewasaccustomedtostrangeexperiencesinhisafternoonwalks，and，findingthecartridge-boxunguarded，madeinvestigationswithhisnoseMaisiefired，butcouldnotseewherethebulletwent-
’Ithinkithitthepost，’shesaid，shadinghereyesandlookingoutacrossthesaillesssea-
’IknowithasgoneouttotheMarazionBell-buoy，’saidDick，withachuckle’Firelowandtotheleft；thenperhapsyou’llgetitOh，lookatAmomma！——he’seatingthecartridges！’
Maisieturned，therevolverinherhand，justintimetoseeAmommascamperingawayfromthepebblesDickthrewafterhimNothingissacredtoabilly-goatBeingwellfedandtheadoredofhismistress，Amommahadnaturallyswallowedtwoloadedpin-firecartridgesMaisiehurrieduptoassureherselfthatDickhadnotmiscountedthetale-
’Yes，he’seatentwo。’
’Horridlittlebeast！Thenthey’lljoggleaboutinsidehimandblowup，andservehimrightOh，Dick！haveIkilledyou？’
RevolversaretrickythingsforyounghandstodealwithMaisiecouldnotexplainhowithadhappened，butaveilofreekingsmokeseparatedherfromDick，andshewasquitecertainthatthepistolhadgoneoffinhisfaceThensheheardhimsputter，anddroppedonherkneesbesidehim，crying，’Dick，youaren’thurt，areyou？Ididn’tmeanit。’
’Ofcourseyoudidn’t，saidDick，comingoutofthesmokeandwipinghischeek’ButyounearlyblindedmeThatpowderstuffstingsawfully。’A
neatlittlesplashofgrayledonastoneshowedwherethebullethadgoneMaisiebegantowhimper-
’Don’t，’saidDick，jumpingtohisfeetandshakinghimself’I’mnotabithurt。’
’No，butImighthavekilledyou，’protestedMaisie，thecornersofhermouthdrooping’WhatshouldIhavedonethen？’
’GonehomeandtoldMrsJennett。’Dickgrinnedatthethought；
then，softening，’Pleasedon’tworryaboutitBesides，wearewastingtime-
We’vegottogetbacktoteaI’lltaketherevolverforabit。’
Maisiewouldhaveweptontheleastencouragement，butDick’sindifference，albeithishandwasshakingashepickedupthepistol，restrainedherShelaypantingonthebeachwhileDickmethodicallybombardedthebreakwater’Gotitatlast！’heexclaimed，asalockofweedflewfromthewood-
’Letmetry，’saidMaisie，imperiously’I’mallrightnow。’
Theyfiredinturnstillthericketylittlerevolvernearlyshookitselftopieces，andAmommatheoutcast——becausehemightblowupatanymoment——browsedinthebackgroundandwonderedwhystoneswerethrownathimThentheyfoundabalkoftimberfloatinginapoolwhichwascommandedbytheseawardslopeofFortKeeling，andtheysatdowntogetherbeforethisnewtarget-
’Nextholidays，’saidDick，asthenowthoroughlyfouledrevolverkickedwildlyinhishand，’we’llgetanotherpistol，——centralfire，——thatwillcarryfarther。’
’Therewon’tbanynext...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：