nd, and come for us again."

"I hope he will, that's what!" said Jud, whose fighting blood was now
up. "I dare him to tackle us again. Nothing would please me better,
Paul."

A dozen paces took them to the vicinity of the tree in which Jud had
sighted the crouching beast at which he had fired.

"Got him, all right, Paul!" he hastened to call out, with a vein of
triumph in his excited voice. "He fell in a heap, and considering that
there were twelve buckshot in that shell, and every one hit him, it
isn't to be wondered at."

"A pretty big bobcat in the bargain, Jud, and well worth boasting
over. Look at his long claws, and the sharp teeth back of those short
lips. An ugly customer let me tell you. I'm glad we didn't have him on
our shoulders, that's all."

"I'm bound to drag the creature all the way to the cabin, to show the
boys," announced the successful marksman. "Now don't say anything
against it, Paul. You see I'll hold my gun under my arm ready, and at
the first sign of trouble I'll let go of the game and be ready to
shoot."

"That's all right, Jud, you're entitled to your trophy, though the
skin is pretty well riddled with that big hole through it. Still,
Tolly Tip may be able to cure it so as to make a mat for your den at
home. Let's be moving."

They could still hear that low and ominous growling and snarling.
Sometimes it came from one side, and then again switched around to the
other, as the angry cat tried to find an avenue that would appear to
be undefended.

Every step of the way home they felt they were being watched by a pair
of fiery eyes. Not for a second did either of the boys dream of
abating their vigilance, for the sagacity of the wildcat would enable
him to know when to make the attack.

Indeed, several times Jud dropped his trailing burden and half raised
his gun, as he imagined he detected a suspicious movement somewhere
close by. They proved to be false alarms, however, and nothing
occurred on the way home to disturb them.

When not far from the cabin they heard loud voices, and caught the
flicker of several blazing torches amidst the trees.

"It's Tolly Tip and the boys," announced Paul, as soon as he caught
the sounds and saw the moving lights. "They must have heard the
gunshot and our shouts, and are coming this way to find out what's the
trouble."

A few minutes later they saw half a dozen hurrying figures
approaching, several carrying guns. As the anxious ones discovered
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