. I think the steamer lies in that
general neighborhood," and he pointed in a south-easterly direction.

"I think so, too," agreed Paul. "And if we row that way I think we'll get
back."

Alice, who had gone over to the sunny spot where the blankets and
cushions had been put to dry, uttered an exclamation.

"Look!" she cried, and when Paul reached her side she pointed to some
bright red spots on the leaves.

"That's blood!" cried the young actor. "Russ, you winged that beast last
night, all right."

"Is that so? Let's have a look for him! Maybe I killed him. I'd like to
see what sort of a creature it was."

The two young men went a little way into the wood, and then came a call:

"Here he is--dead as a door nail."

"Oh, what is it? I want to see it!" cried Alice, who had a good deal of
the curious boy in her make-up.

"Don't go!" begged Ruth.

"I shall, too. It can't hurt me--if it's dead."

"I know, dear, but--"

Alice went, however.

"It's a lynx," said Russ, as he looked at the dead beast. "I can tell by
those queer little tufts of hair on the ears."

"Are they dangerous?" asked Alice.

"Oh, I guess so, if you had one cornered. They can keep a fellow awake,
anyhow, that's one sure thing. I must have fired better than I knew. But
then the shot scattered so."

"He must have been pretty close to us," remarked Paul.

"Ugh! I don't like to think of it," murmured Alice, with a little shiver.
"Suppose he had jumped into the boat?"

"Don't suppose," laughed Russ.

"Come!" called Mrs. Maguire from where she had remained near the boat
with Ruth. "If we're going, we'd better start."

"That's right," agreed Russ. "The sooner we start the quicker we'll get
there."

The blankets and cushions were arranged in the craft to make comfortable
places for the girls and Mrs. Maguire, and then the remains of the food,
and the coffee outfit, having been stowed away, Paul and Russ took the
oars, and once more the refugees were under way.

As nearly as possible, allowing for the twists and turns of the stream,
the course was in the direction Russ and Paul had agreed upon as being
the best. From time to time, as they rowed on, they paused to listen for
any hails which would probably be given by the searching party from the
steamer.

"For of course daddy will start out after us," said Ruth. "Poor daddy!"

"I guess there's no doubt of that," agreed Russ. "The only trouble is
they won't know where to look for us."