Part 3 (2/2)
”I hope we don't see anything more of that catamount,” replied Brick ”I suppose there are plenty of theood many,” assented Hamp ”But they don't often trouble hunters
This felloas extra savage He ry”
”They've been known to follow men for days and weeks in bitter weather,” said Jerry
The conversation shi+fted to another topic, and the boys trudged on for half an hour Then Brick suddenly gave a sharp cry, and pointed to a spot on the shore, some fifty yards distant
”I saw the cataray animal, and it slipped past that rock into the bushes”
”Sure?” asked Hamp, anxiously
”Dead sure”
The boys looked and listened They were about , thick-set anie of the ice It wailed in a e a catamount as the two Maine lads had ever seen
”There's a chance,” exclai distance of the brute Three of us can't well miss”
The boys abandoned the sled, and advanced toward shore, with loaded rifles But before they had taken a dozen steps the catamount turned tail, and vanished in the timber
”No use,”to give us any advantage He'll stick to us like a leech, though, and sonificant pause ended the sentence
”What are we going to do about it?” asked Brick ”This knocks all the fun in the head We won't dare go to sleep at nights”
”We've got to get rid of the brute,” replied Jerry, ”and I think I kno to do it What do you say to cutting straight across the lake, andour camp on the other side? I don't believe the catamount will follow us over estion armly approved They headed due west toward the faintly visible forest on the further shore of the lake, a distance of ten or twelveon a dog trot The sleds trailed easily behind thelassy ice
Two hours later the western shore of Moosehead Lake looers They were not half a ht into the dense forest that stretched far away to Canada
”Got the time, Brick?” asked Jerry
”Yes; it's just half-past three”
”Well, suppose we push up the lake for another hour By that ti-place ant”
The others agreed, and Jerry led them to within twenty yards of the shore Then they turned northward, and went on at a rapid trot
About half a mile ahead a spit of rocky and timbered land jutted out from the shore