, and leaping from the bough sped with cat-like swiftness into the
forest.

All the camp was awake in an instant, the men springing out of the
wagons, gun in hand, ready for any trouble. When they saw only a boy,
holding a blazing torch above his head, they were disposed to grumble,
and the two sleepy guards, seeking an excuse for themselves, laughed
outright at the tale that Henry told. But Mr. Ware believed in the truth
of his son's words, and the guide, who quickly examined the ground near
the tree, said there could be no doubt that Henry had really seen the
panther, and had not been tricked by his imagination. The great tracks
of the beast were plainly visible in the soft earth.

"Pushed by hunger, an' thinking there was no danger, he might have
sprung on one of our colts or a calf," said Ross, "an' no doubt the boy
with his ready use of a torch has saved us from a loss. It was a brave
thing for him to do."

But Henry took no pride in their praise. It was no part of his ambition
merely to drive away a panther, instead he had the hunter's wish to kill
him. He would be worthy of the wilderness.

Henry despite his lack of pride found the world very beautiful the next
day. It was a fair enough scene. Nature had done her part, but his
joyous mind gave to it deeper and more vivid colors. The wind was
blowing from the south, bringing upon its breath the odor of wild
flowers, and all the forest was green with the tender green of young
spring. The cotton-tailed hares that he called rabbits ran across their
path. Squirrels talked to one another in the tree tops, and defiantly
threw the shells of last year's nuts at the passing travelers. Once they
saw a stag bending down to drink at a brook, and when the forest king
beheld them he raised his head, and merely stared at these strange new
invaders of the wilds. Henry admired his beautiful form and splendid
antlers nor would he have fired at him had it even been within orders.
The deer gazed at them a few moments, and then, turning and tossing his
head, sped away through the forest.

All that he saw was strange and grand to Henry, and he loved the
wilderness. About noon he and Ross went back to the wagons and that
night they encamped on the crest of a range of low and grassy hills.
This was the rim of the valley that they had selected on the guide's
advice as their future home, and the little camp was full of the
liveliest interest in the morrow, because it is a most eventfu