uncle," I whispered.

"Why not, boy? What does it matter if you do miss? Keep on practising,
and never mind what people say. Are you ready?"

"Yes, uncle."

"Fire, then, as soon as you get a good view of the bladder."

I waited until it was about forty yards away, and rising slowly to the
top of a wave, when, calculating the distance as well as I could, I
fired, and the bladder disappeared.

I could not believe it, and expected each moment to see it come back to
the surface; but no, there was no bladder visible; and, having reloaded,
my uncle sent another afloat, bidding me wait till it was farther away
before I fired.

I obeyed him and missed. Fired again and missed, but the third time the
bladder collapsed and sank, and my reputation as a marksman was made.

The French passengers would have petted and spoiled me had not my uncle
interfered; and when we were once more alone he began to talk of my
success.

"You quite exceeded anything I expected, Nat," he said smiling. "How
you managed it, my boy, I cannot tell. The first time I set it down to
pure accident; but when you repeated it again and again, all I can say,
my boy, is that your eyes must be wonderfully good, and your aim and
judgment even better. I doubt with all my practice whether I could have
been more successful."

"I think it must have been chance, uncle," I said, "for I seemed to have
no time to aim, and the vessel heaved up so just then."

"No, my boy," he replied, "it was not chance, but the result in a great
measure of your practice with your gun; but you will not always shoot so
well as that. When you come to be out with me in the wilds of one of
the islands we visit, and have perhaps been tramping miles through rough
forest, you will find it hard work to hit the object at which you aim."

"But it will be easier to shoot from the ground than from on shipboard,
uncle, will it not?"

"For some things yes, my boy, for others no. But wait a bit, Nat, and
we shall see."

The practice was kept up all through our voyage, and I became quite an
adept at breaking floating bottles and other objects that were sent over
the side, for the bladders soon came to an end; but our voyage was very
uneventful. It was always enjoyable, for there was so much that was
fresh to see. I never complained about the heat, which was very great,
although people were lying about under awnings, while I used to get into
the chains, or the rigging below the bow