Does the Heer Pereira accept?
If so, I will venture to match myself against him, although he has won so many prizes." The Heer Pereira seemed extremely doubtful; so doubtful, indeed, that the Boers began to laugh at him.

In the end he grew rather angry, and said that he was willing to shoot me at bucks or swallows, or fireflies, or anything else I liked.
"Then let it be at geese," I answered, "since it is likely to be sometime before I am strong enough to ride after buck or other wild things."' So the terms of the match were formally written down by Marie, as my father, although he took a keen sporting interest in the result, would have nothing to do with what he called a "wager for money," and, except myself, there was no one else present with sufficient scholarship to pen a long document.

Then we both signed them, Hernan Pereira not very willingly, I thought; and if my recovery was sufficiently rapid, the date was fixed for that day week.

In case of any disagreement, the Heer Retief, who was staying at Maraisfontein, or in its neighbourhood, for a while, was appointed referee and stakeholder.

It was also arranged that neither of us should visit the appointed place, or shoot at the geese before the match.