029-The Secret Of The Lost Tunnel by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-08-07T14:26:51+00:00

CHAPTER XIV

A Fighting Foe

"don't point that rifle!" General Smith snapped at the youth.

The officer's command, plus the added weight of the United States uniform, caused the young fellow to change his attitude. He lowered the rifle until the stock rested on the ground, then continued his protest.

"I didn't take nobody's gun," he said stoutly. "You can't prove this is yours."

To be sure, Joe had slim evidence that the rifle belonged to him. He had found it in the woods and could present no receipt to show he had purchased it. Perhaps the boy was right. Certainly he did not look like a thief, and there might be a possi« bility that two guns were identical.

111

112 The Secret of the Lost Tunnel General Smith broke the deadlock. "We'll look into this later. The shoot must not be held up."

At this moment a trumpeter sounded the bugle call. The contestants lined up. The shoot begao with burst after burst of musketry.

Joe, his shirt open at the neck, and his eye cockec over the sight of the Civil War rifle, might have stepped out of a history book! The boy's finely muscled arms held the weapon firmly and the general observed with pleasure his gentle squeeze of the trigger.

"Atta boy, Joe!" diet shouted as his friend scored a bull's-eye.

Joe flipped his rooter a brief smile, then hurried to reload the old gun. The boy handled it like a veteran, blazing away round after round.

"Cease fire!"

As one of the judges shouted the command, the riflemen put down their guns so the targets could be inspected. The four with the highest scores would continue. Joe was among them!

"Keep up the good work," Frank advised his brother as the contest was about to resume. Then he added, "Hey! That fellow with the stolen rifle is still in the shoot!"

"Come on, Joe, beat that guy!" Chet whipped a clenched fist into the palm of his hand.

A Fighting Foe 113

Joe looked toxvard the general. The officer nodded encouragingly as the meet resumed. Ten shots apiece!

The Hardy boy's rifle spoke with precision as Joe sent shot after shot ripping into the target. Once he glanced at the youth, standing beside him. His opponent remained calm and expressionless, firing quickly after aiming.

A sudden silence told the onlookers the marksmen had finished. The judges hurried forward to examine the targets.

"Six out of ten!" one of them reported, peering at the first target.

"Seven out of ten!" came the next call.

Now the suspicious youth's "Eight out of ten!"

A judge studied Joe's target. The man paused a moment and beckoned another judge to his side. Together they examined the card carefully. One of them cleared his throat.

"Eight out of ten! Tie score!"

Frank ran up and thumped his brother on the back. "Swell, Joe!"

The boy grinned. "But I didn't win." He stepped toward the youth who had tied the score.

"Maybe they'll let us shoot it out." His rival turned on his heel.

"Good guy," diet said sarcastically.

114 The Secret of the Lost Tunnel General Smith praised Joe and went on to say the judges were arranging a shoot-off.

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