"Now you go up very slowly on your knees," he whispered, "and try to find him. Remember that the first thing you will see is his black horns sticking up. If you see them close together, his head will be turned out toward the valley; if you see them wide spread he'll be looking straight in our direction. Wait, if you can, until he looks out toward the valley, and then rise and shoot. You'll have to shoot pretty quickly, for he's almost certain to see us. Raise your head very slowly." Donald gathered his legs under him and very slowly rose to his knees, at the same time feeling for his six-shooter. Gradually as his head rose higher and higher, his hand went around to his hip; but when he was standing on his knees it was evident that he saw nothing. He looked at Jack, who motioned with his hand toward the rock, and Donald crept forward a little way up the bank. This time when he raised his head, he saw the animal. He drew his pistol and noiselessly cocked it, waited a moment and then, raising his head and hand slowly, he fired. Jack was on his knees behind Donald and had his pistol ready, but nothing stirred. "You must have got him!" Jack cried. The boys quickly jumped to their feet and climbed up the bank, and there was the antelope, his head stretched out before him. "Let's get a knife into him!" exclaimed Jack. "He may be only creased." A few steps brought the boys to him, and taking hold of the antelope's horn Jack thrust in his knife at the point of the breast. Then he saw that the ball had entered just below the head and had broken the antelope's neck. "By Jove!" he cried, "that was a good shot, and a quick shot! If that wasn't an accident, it was certainly a way up shot. I'd give a good deal to be able to shoot a pistol like that three times out of five." "It was a lucky shot, sure enough," laughed Donald. "I can't do that sort of thing three times out of five, nor three times out of ten. I wish I could." "Well, we'll have to have some pistol practise when we get back to the ranch, for if you can do this thing often, I'll want you to give me some lessons." The boys dressed the antelope, which was a fine old buck with a pair of long, spreading horns. "This will tickle Hugh," said Jack, "for it's just what he asked for--a good piece of wild meat." They left the antelope where it lay, and riding out a short distance from the hills so that they could see the whole valley, they took the saddles and bridles from their horses and let them feed while they sat there and talked until the slow traveling herd had come almost to where they were. Then they saddled up again, went back to the antelope, and putting it on Donald's horse rode down and joined the others. CHAPTER XXIII A LOAD OF MEAT