The inexperienced hand firing across a line of buck will not kill once in twenty shots, as an infinitesimal difference in elevation, or the slightest error in judging distance--in itself no easy art on those great plains--will spoil his aim.

A Boer almost invariably gets immediately behind a herd of running buck, and fires at one about half-way down the line.

Consequently if his elevation is a little wrong, or if he has misjudged his sighting, the odds are that he will hit one either in front of or behind the particular animal fired at.

All that is necessary is that the line of fire should be good.

This John soon learnt, and when he had mastered the fact he became as good a game shot as the majority of Boers, but it being his first attempt, much to his vexation, he did not particularly distinguish himself that day, with the result that his friends the Dutchmen went home firmly convinced that the English _rooibaatje_ shot as indifferently as he lied.
Jumping into the cart again, and leaving the dead blesbuck to look after itself for the present--not a very safe thing to do in a country where there are so many vultures--John, or rather Jantje, put the horses into a gallop, and away they went at full tear.