I had shot--well, not an eagle, but a soaring lark."

"Why, that ought to make you prouder than the other," said I, "for a
lark, especially when it's soaring, must be a good deal harder to hit
than an eagle."

"That's so," said Pepton, reflectively. "But I'll stick to the lark.
I'm proud."

During the next month our style of archery improved very much, so much,
indeed, that we increased our distance, for gentlemen, to forty yards,
and that for ladies to thirty, and also had serious thoughts of
challenging the Ackford club to a match. But as this was generally
understood to be a crack club, we finally determined to defer our
challenge until the next season.

When I say we improved, I do not mean all of us. I do not mean Miss
Rosa. Although her attitudes were as fine as ever, and every motion as
true to rule as ever, she seldom made a hit. Pepton actually did try
to teach her how to aim, but the various methods of pointing the arrow
which he suggested resulted in such wild shooting that the boys who
picked up the arrows never dared to stick the points of their noses
beyond their boarded barricade during Miss Rosa's turns at the target.
But she was not discouraged, and Pepton often assured her that if she
would keep up a good heart, and practise regularly, she would get the
badge yet. As a rule, Pepton was so honest and truthful that a little
statement of this kind, especially under the circumstances, might be
forgiven him.

One day Pepton came to me and announced that he had made a discovery.

"It's about archery," he said, "and I don't mind telling you, because I
know you will not go about telling everybody else, and also because I
want to see you succeed as an archer."

"I am very much obliged," I said, "and what is the discovery?"

"It's this," he answered. "When you draw your bow, bring the nock of
your arrow"--he was always very particular about technical terms--"well
up to your ear. Having done that, don't bother any more about your
right hand. It has nothing to do with the correct pointing of your
arrow, for it must be kept close to your right ear, just as if it were
screwed there. Then with your left hand bring around the bow so that
your fist--with the arrow-head, which is resting on top of it--shall
point, as nearly as you can make it, directly at the centre of the
target. Then let fly, and ten to one you'll make a hit. Now, what do
you think of that for a discovery? I've thoroughly teste