Shoot!" Every one shot his best, but Ernest
and Buttar only hit; Bouldon's arrow glanced off; no one else struck the
tree. The distances being measured and noted, on again they went. A
white post at a considerable distance was next fixed on as the mark.
Ellis hit it, Ernest went near, and the shafts of the rest of the party
flew wide or short of it.

"Ah, I calculated the range," observed Ellis. "I shot my arrow with a
considerable curve, for I saw that the mark was further than my bow
could send it at point-blank range."

"Why, Ellis, you will make a good artillery officer," said Buttar,
laughing. "Whenever we shoot with sides, I shall know who to choose. I
had no idea you were a scientific archer."

"I very seldom have shot before, but directly I got a bow I began to
study the subject, and to learn all that has been said about it,"
answered Ellis. "I always read what I can about it when I begin
anything which is new to me."

The half-hour spent in roving passed very quickly away. Those who had
never shot before in that way agreed that it was far more amusing than
shooting at a target, and that they found they learned to measure
distances much better in the former than in the latter way. When they
got back they found a variety of other sports going on. Some of their
friends were playing quoits. It is a capital game for exercising the
arms. Two iron pins or hobs were stuck in the ground, about eighteen
yards apart. Quoits, as everybody ought to know, were derived from the
ancient game of discus. They are circular plates of iron, with a hole
in the centre, one side being flat and the other rounded. The game is
played often with sides. The aim of each player is to pitch his quoit
on the hob, or, if he cannot do that, as near it as possible, the
parties throwing from one hob to another. Charles Bracebridge and Lemon
were playing on opposite sides when the archers came up. First Charles
threw. One quoit was close to the hob, and the other quoits he sent
were within a few inches of it, and of each other. Then Lemon threw.
His first quoit was just outside Charles', but nearer than any of his
other quoits, but his other quoits fell outside the rest. Thus both
only counted one. Had a second quoit of Lemon's fallen close to
Charles' first, Lemon would have counted two, though his other quoits
might have fallen to a greater distance. The nearest, it will be
understood, count and cut out all outside th