Though it came rather late in the day, Jenks caught at the idea.

He accustomed her in the first instance to the use of blank cartridges.

Then, when fairly proficient in holding and sighting--a child can learn how to refill the clip and eject each empty shell--she fired ten rounds of service ammunition.

The target was a white circle on a rock at eighty yards, and those of the ten shots that missed the absolute mark would have made an enemy at the same distance extremely uncomfortable.
Iris was much pleased with her proficiency.

"Now," she cried, "instead of being a hindrance to you I may be some help.