"No, I don't want the money--I want your note written on this card, signed by a bullet shot by you through the centre of the ace at ten paces." Saying which, I produced the card I had prepared and read the inscription to him. "Now, I'll tack the card up on this tree here," I continued, "and you are to stand with your back against the card, pistol in hand, step off ten paces, 'bout face, and fire a bullet through the ace. And if you don't knock the centre out it's no go--I'll have to write another note on another ace and you'll have to try it again." "Huh! that's easy," said Bill with a grin of confidence. "You won't have to waste any more of your cards." I knew he could do it, even at twenty paces, for I had seen him perform such feats before. With the utmost indifference, he backed up to the card on the tree, stepped off ten paces--good, long-legged measure--made a graceful "officer's about face," instantly firing, without apparently taking aim, as he came around facing the card; and we could all see the hole in the centre of the bright-red ace. "By George, that's good shooting!" exclaimed Saunders in unfeigned astonishment. "Can you do it again, Bill, or was that just an accident?" "I'll put another ball in the same hole for you," replied the scout carelessly as he threw up his pistol and fired. Saunders' and Wilson's incredulity prompted them to step up to the tree and examine the card closely. "Guess you must have missed the whole tree that time, Bill," said the captain after scrutinizing the card and tree carefully. "The hole isn't made any larger that I can see and I can't find any other hole in the tree." "Of course not. I didn't want to spoil the card; but the second bullet is in there, right on top of the first one, and I'll bet a horse on it. Now, stand out of the way till I show you another trick. I'm going to take off the right-hand point of the diamond this time." And at the crack of his pistol the right point disappeared--the last hole just cutting into the edge of the first one. "Now, look out for the left-hand point." And the left point was gone--all the red being obliterated but a little streak above and below the first hole. "There, Peck," he remarked regretfully as he began reloading his pistol, "I had to pretty nigh spoil the card to show these fellows I wasn't a-faking." "Don't that beat the devil?" remarked Wilson, looking from the target to Bill and from Bill to the target in undisguised astonishment. "Well, I've heard of such phenomenal shooting," said Saunders, "but never saw the like before and wouldn't have believed it possible if I hadn't seen it. Ain't there some trick about it, Bill?" "Not as I know of--nothing but what you've seen. Now, if you think that second shot missed the tree, Cap," remarked the scout as he took down the card and passed it around for inspection, "take that axe, there, and chop 'em all out, and if you don't find four navy balls in there I'll eat the chips."