Beadle's Dime Novels No. 316: Hurricane Bill — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A MARVEL OF MARKSMANSHIP. 21 they were a species of tiny gourds, probably two inches in diameter. “ Take your posish, Hurricane—keep your eyen skinned. I'll send the second one a few feet to the left o’ the fust.” “ Let ’em flicker !” Mustang Sam tossed tbe round gourd high up into the air, and Hurricane Bill’s revolver muzzle followed its motion with a wonderful quickness and steadiness. Just as the little black ball paused-—-or seemed to pause before returning to earth, the weapon exploded. The ball vanished. Instead, nothing could be seen but a few whirling fragments of the shell that had been so dextrously shattered by the unerring bullet. Like an echo came the second report. Mustang Sam did not give the spectators time to vent their wondering admir- ation, but tossed up the second ball. As before, Hurricane Bill cocked his pistol without lowering his hand, and was in readiness for the flying target, firing with the same result as before. ‘Is there any gentleman present who will loan me a som- brero—-one that will not be hurt by an air-hole in the crown ?” cried Mustang Sam, in Spanish, as he whistled to Tornado, who came galloping up with a whicker of delight. “ Thanks !” he added, catching one out of the dozen or more tossed him. ‘Now Hurricane, straddle your critter—work ’er up lively, pard——but don’t make a mistake an’ sock it to me in the ribs!” , The tall plainsman made no reply, but vaulted into the saddle and guiding his “ buck-skin ” with the pressure of. his knees alone, galloped out upon the plain. Mustang Sam faced him, holding the stiff sombrero under his curved arm, the crown facing the marksman. A wild yell—then the border-brothers sped swiftly toward each other. When within twenty yards, Hurricane Bill flung up his arm and fired, then, as the animals thundered past each other, he turned in the saddle and alegharges two shots in rapid succession. With a wild, ringing burst of laughter, Mustang Sam wheeled around and galloped back to where the Mexicans were grouped. comicbooks.com