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EXPLORING THE SEVEN ISLANDS
149

"You'll have a job catching wild goats," answered Captain Blossom. "They are as fleet of foot as deer."

It was decided to try two shots at the goats, providing they could get close enough. With care they plunged into the undergrowth and made their way back up the hillside until they thought they must be within fifty yards of the game.

"There they are!" cried Tom softly.

Bang! went the captain's gun, and crack! Tom fired immediately after. Two of the goats were hit, and one fell dead. The other staggered away with a broken foreleg.

"We must get that second fellow!" cried Sam, and rushed after the game. The goat tried to turn on him, but Sam hit the beast over the head with a club he carried. Two other blows finished the animal.

"That isn't bad," said the captain. "They both look to be young. They ought to make good eating."

"We are going to have no easy work of it, getting these animals down to the shore," said Tom.

"After we get them to the shore, what then?" questioned his brother. "We can't keep them in the boat all the time that we are exploring the other islands."