ws
take the lead from now on," Lub told them, contritely, "I ought to have
known better than to try and show off when I'm such a greeny about
following a trail."

"You were doing all right," Phil told him, "and making a good job of it
up to that time. Who'd ever expect that we'd run across a bobcat in the
middle of the afternoon; and one that had kits at that? I'd have had
just as bad a shock as you got, Lub, if it was me in the lead. No need
of feeling ashamed; the sight of that thing was enough to give any
hunter a bad scare, especially if he had no gun along."

This sort of consolation served to make poor Lub better satisfied;
though doubtless he would continue to feel unusually nervous for some
little time. If a chipmunk stirred in the trash under a dead tree Lub
was apt to draw a long breath, and involuntarily shrink back behind one
of his companions.

"Guess we'd better make a detour around that bunch of scrub, eh, Phil?"
remarked Ethan, sagely.

"Well, it would be a wise thing to do," chuckled the other; "because
just now we haven't lost any bobcat that we know about. The trail seems
to be heading pretty straight right here; and chances are we'll have
little trouble running across the same some little ways on."

Both he and Ethan took a good survey of their surroundings, but
evidently the wildcat was still hiding amidst that scrub, for they saw
nothing of her again while making the half circuit.

"Now keep your eyes peeled for the trail again, Ethan," advised Phil,
when they were well around on the other side of the danger spot.

Lub managed to push along until he could find himself in the midst of
the bunch. He cast numerous side glances in the direction of that
disputed ground, as though half anticipating seeing a whole army of
ferocious bobcats come leaping forth, all with blazing yellow eyes and
stubby tails.

Nothing of the kind happened, however, and presently Ethan was heard
calling:

"Here's your old trail, Phil, as plain as print. And d'ye know, there's
only one thing I'm sorry about, which is that you didn't think to snap
off a picture with our chum on his hands and knees backing off, and the
cat on the log."

"Well, I'm glad myself there wasn't any chance to keep that accidental
tumble of mine as a perpetual joke," said Lub, indignantly.

"Nothing to be ashamed about at all, Lub," remarked X-Ray; "and I reckon
now if it had been Ethan himself who stumbled when he caught his foot in
a vin