a wildcat, with one of our chickens in its mouth. There
were a good many of these animals having their lairs among the fallen
rocks at the foot of the mesa, and they caused us some trouble, but this
was the first time I had known one to make a raid on the chicken-yard in
broad daylight. I suppose rabbits were scarce, and the poor beast was
driven to this unusual course by hunger.

I was driving the mules at the moment, but Joe, who was walking beside
the wagon, picked up a stone and hurled it at the cat. The animal, of
course, bolted--taking his chicken with him, though--and disappeared
among the rocks close to where we had just been at work.

"Joe," said I, "we'll bring up the shotgun to-morrow. We may stir that
fellow out and get a shot at him."

Accordingly, next day, we took the gun with us, and leaning it against a
tree near the wagon, set about our usual work. The first stone we loaded
that morning was an extra-large one, and Joe on one side of the wagon
and I on the other were prying it into position with our pinch-bars,
when my companion, who was facing the bluff, gently laid down his bar
and whispered:

"Keep quiet, Phil! Don't move! I see that wildcat! Get hold of the lines
in case the mules should scare, while I see if I can reach the gun."

Stooping behind the wagon, he slipped away to where the gun stood, came
stooping back, and then, straightening up, he raised the gun to his
shoulder. Up to that moment the cat had stood so still that I had been
unable to distinguish it, but just as Joe raised the gun it bolted. My
partner fired a snap-shot, and down came the cat, tumbling over and
over.

"Good shot!" I cried. But hardly had I done so when the animal jumped up
again and popped into a hole between two rocks before Joe could get a
second shot.

"Let's dig him out, Joe," I cried. And seizing a crowbar, I led the way
to the foot of the cliff.

Working away with the bar, while Joe stood ready with the gun, I soon
enlarged the hole enough to let me look in, but it was so dark inside,
and I got into my own light so much that I could see nothing.

I happened to have a letter in my pocket, and taking the envelope I
dropped a little stone into it, screwed up the corner, and lighting the
other end, threw the bit of paper into the hole. My little fire-brand
flickered for a moment, and then burned up brightly, when I saw the
wildcat lying flat upon its side, evidently quite dead.

Thereupon we both set to