d have pleased Nugget more. He made the proviso, however,
that Randy's gun should be taken along.

"I don't know what you're afraid of," said Clay; "but I'll humor you
anyhow."

He shouldered the weapon, first looking to see that it was loaded, and
started up the stream. Nugget trudged behind with the two fishing rods.

Half a mile from camp the boys stopped by a deep pool that presented a
very tempting aspect. The bushes and trees were dense all around it.

"This is where I caught my first fish this morning," whispered Clay, as
he put a nice fat worm on the hook and dropped it in the water.

Almost instantly the line tightened, and the slender rod bent. Clay gave
a quick pull, and something shiny whizzed through the air, landing with
a dull flop some yards behind the boys.

"That was a big fellow," exclaimed Clay. "It flew clear off the hook.
Get it for me, Nugget, will you? I want to catch another."

Nugget obligingly dropped the hook he was baiting, and crawled on hands
and knees into the thicket.

A few seconds later he burst out, yelling wildly for help, while a
crackling of bushes behind him told plainly that something or someone
was in close pursuit.

CHAPTER X

A TRAMP ACROSS COUNTRY

Nugget dashed by Clay without stopping, and crossed the stream, close to
the lower end of the pool, in two or three frantic leaps.

Clay was frightened himself, but observing that the rustling noise in
the thicket had ceased, he boldly stood his ground, taking the
precaution, however, to exchange his fishing rod for the gun.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, turning warily toward Nugget, who was on
the opposite side of the stream with one hand clasping the low boughs of
3 pine tree.

"There's some wild animal in there," cried Nugget hoarsely. "It looked
at me with its shining eyes, and then growled. Shoot it quick, before it
comes out."

Just then the rustling in the thicket recommenced, and with wonderful
celerity Nugget disappeared into the heart of the tree.

But the creature, whatever it might be, was going in the opposite
direction from the pool. This emboldened Clay, and without hesitation he
started in pursuit, paying no attention to Nugget's appealing cries.
Guided by the threshing of bushes he pushed on for ten or twenty yards.

Then it suddenly occurred to him that the animal might be a wildcat or
even a bear, that had strayed down from the mountains. A close encounter
of this nature was by no mea