d
some time before.

"I wonder how he likes a side view of us," said Terry, partly amused,
but somewhat frightened; "I think he is close enough for us to fetch him
this time."

Fred was inclined to give him a shot, but he felt some doubt, and while
he was considering the question, the beast whisked about and vanished
like a flash.

"He is a strange animal," said Fred, lowering his gun, which he was in
the act of raising; "and I am more satisfied now than ever that we shall
have trouble with him. The first time that we gain a fair shot, that is,
like we had just now, let's tumble him over. He may be as daring and
tough as the hunters say, but there isn't any animal tough enough to
withstand a couple of well-aimed bullets."

"I agree wid ye--that is, after one was fired. That shot of mine was
well aimed and struck, but it takes somethin' more to bring him down, as
a colored friend of mine once said when a house tumbled over on his
head."

"You saw how spry a creature he is, and if he should happen to drop down
upon us from the branch of a tree, those sharp claws of his would play
the mischief with us."

Since there was no place in sight that suited for camping, Terry
reloaded, and they kept on. After the fright they had received, you may
be sure they maintained a close watch of the wood in every direction. As
yet they had seen no game from which to procure food, but they wanted
to go into camp near a spring or stream of water. The latter is
generally looked upon as one of the indispensables by a party of
campers, and it was not likely that the youths would have to travel far
before finding what they wanted.

The sun had not yet dropped below the horizon when they struck the very
spot. There were the bubbling brook, lined by mossy banks, the small
open space, the tall column-like trunks; and the heavy overhanging
boughs, which, late though it was in the season, would allow but few
drops of a shower to find their way through. The air was cool, but there
were no signs of a storm.

"There couldn't be a better place," said Fred, when he had noted all the
points; "here is every thing that a party can want, except it be supper,
which they ought to bring with them."

"And somebody has been here ahead of us," added Terry, kicking apart the
ashes at the base of a large tree; "there's where the fire was
kindled."

"No doubt it is where father and the rest of them spent the first night
after leaving home: that shows th