While Mack was employed in this way the rest of the party were not idle. The horses and guns were to be distributed, and there were servants to be engaged. We have said that there were two desirable animals among the horses, and there were also among the weapons some light handy pieces, which the boys would have selected in preference to any of the others. Of course all could not be exactly suited, and in order to give every one a fair opportunity to secure the best, it was decided to dispose of the horses and guns by lot. The colonel’s own riding mare and his favorite double-barrel, both of which were pointed out by the agent of whom the outfit was purchased, were first set aside for Uncle Dick. Those that were left were then numbered, and corresponding numbers being placed in Walter Gaylord’s hat, each boy drew out one, and became temporary owner of the steed and the rifle whose number agreed with his own. Frank drew number three; and on hunting up his property, found that the charger which bore that number on a card tied to his foretop, was a long-legged, raw-boned animal, and the most vicious one in the whole drove. He welcomed his new master by laying back his ears and making a savage bite at his hand. When he came to examine the weapons, he found that number three rifle was the mass of wood and iron which he had declared to be heavy enough for a giant. He had the worst luck of all; and the boys laughed heartily at the wry faces he made, and more heartily still at the antics of Archie Winters, who paraded past his cousin mounted on a high-stepping thoroughbred, and carrying a handsome silver-mounted rifle, both of which had fallen to his lot.
“Now here’s what I call a horse,” cried Archie, patting the sleek neck of the animal he bestrode. “He doesn’t look much like your old crowbait, does he? I say, Frank, I don’t believe I’d go, if I were in your place. You can’t possibly keep up with us, and neither can you shoot anything; for it will take so long to raise that killdeer to your shoulder, that all the game within range will have plenty of time to get safely out of sight. Here’s a rifle, if you want to look at one. Just lift it, and see how nicely it is balanced.”