ife.

"Scat!" he hissed, and, alarmed once more, the wildcat backed away
from the hollow and sat down on a limb of the tree to think matters
over. As a matter of fact, the hollow tree was one of the wildcat's
favorite haunts and it did not know what to make of it to find it
thus strangely inhabited.

In the meantime the three young hunters who had lost themselves in
the woods were doing their best to find their way back to camp. They
had reached a small opening and Whopper raised an unexpected cry:

"Boys, look!"

"Shep's gun, as sure as fate!" ejaculated Snap.

"And his game-bag," added Giant. "What can this mean?"

"I think" began Snap, and then chanced to glance up into the tree.
He caught a full view of the wildcat, and stopping his talk, took
quick aim and fired. The wildcat turned over in the air, gave a
second whirl, and then disappeared from view.

"Where did he go to?" asked Giant, recovering from his astonishment.

"Fell into the tree," answered Whopper. "Hark!"

They listened and heard a faint cry for help.

"Where is that from?"

"The tree! Shep must be in the tree!"

"And the wildcat's on top of him!"

"I'm going to his help!" exclaimed Snap, and began to climb up the
hollow tree without delay.

When he gained the opening he peered down into it.

"Shep! Are you there?" he called out, anxiously.

"Yes," was the faint answer. "Is that you, Snap?"

"Yes. Is that wildcat alive?"

"I guess not. But he has almost smothered me."

"How did you get down there?"

"Slipped down. Get something and help me to get out."

"I will."

"Poor Shep! What a place to be in all night!" was Whopper's comment.
"I wouldn't go through that for two billion dollars!"

"I'm going to cut a pole with a notch on the end," said Snap. "We can
pull him up with that."

A number of saplings were handy and Snap soon had the pole he
desired. Then all three of the boys climbed into the tree and
lowered the pole.

"All ready?" cried Snap.

"Yes," was the muffled answer from the bottom of the hollow.

"Take care, or somebody will slip out of the tree," cautioned Giant.
"Our footing isn't of the best."

All three of the young hunters strained on the pole with all their
might. At first they could not budge the doctor's son, but at
last they gained a few inches, and then the rest was easy.

"I'm glad I am out of that," gasped Shep, when he could step on one
of the tree's branches. "I don't know wha