ll were convinced
that the wildcat was really dead. "He isn't good for much."

"We could keep the skin--or have him stuffed," suggested Phil.

"Let us take him back to the ranch--so that the folks can see we really
killed him," said Dave. "Then we might have him stuffed and sent to Oak
Hall, to put in the museum."

"Just the thing!" cried the senator's son. "That will please Doctor
Clay, I am sure."

They dragged the wildcat out into the open, and laid it where the horses
might see that it was dead. As soon as they were aware of this, the
steeds quieted down completely, and the boys had no more trouble with
them. Dave and Phil carried the grouse and the fish, and Roger slung the
wildcat up behind his saddle, and then off they set for Star Ranch at a
gallop.

"Here come the fishermen!" cried Laura, who was out in front of the
ranch house. "I hope you had luck!"

"We did," answered Dave, gayly. "How is that?" and he held up a string
of fish.

"Splendid, Dave!"

"And how is that?" he went on, holding up two of the grouse.

"I declare, some game, too! Why, you've had good luck, haven't you!"

"Let me see!" said Belle, as she appeared, followed by Jessie.

"And how is this?" asked Phil, showing his fish and the rest of the
game.

"Oh, how grand!" murmured Belle.

"What is that Roger has?" questioned Jessie.

"A wildcat!" cried the senator's son, and, leaping down, he brought the
dead beast into full view. All the girls shrieked, and Jessie started to
run back into the house. Hearing the commotion, Mrs. Endicott appeared,
and then her husband.

"A bobcat!" cried the railroad president. "I didn't know there were any
near this place. A big fellow, too," he added, as he inspected the
animal.

"Did you shoot him, Roger?" asked Laura.

"We all had a hand in it," answered the senator's son. "Dave gave him
the first dose of shot, and then Phil and I got in our work. It was a
hard job to kill him, I can tell you," and then Roger told of how the
wounded beast had fallen down among the horses.

"You can be thankful your horses didn't get away," said Mr. Endicott. "I
knew of a horse once that was scared by a bear and he ran several miles,
and wasn't caught until the next day."

"Oh, Dave, weren't you scared when you saw him on the tree?" whispered
Jessie. She felt proud to think her hero had been the first to shoot at
the beast.

"I didn't give myself time to get scared," he answered. "I just fired as
quickly