Part 6 (1/2)

It was clear that the animal had entered the wood I suddenly reflected upon the extraordinary size of the animal's foot, and when I coupled that fact with the words in the offer of reward--”or other anier and e feeling which ood supply of ammunition, but after a moment or two of reflection I decided to suspend the pursuit and go and tell John Vidler, and seek to associate his

In this I had no difficulty, for though Vidler, whose farm and abode were remote and lonely, had heard only ruhbourhood, it was enough for hi the victims, so he quickly went to the stables, or ”barn,”

and brought out his olda buffalo skin, or ”robe,”

as such are called, across her back, he mounted, and aent

I travelled afoot by his side We picked up the trail where I had left it--at the edge of the wood; but here our difficulty began, it being broken and indistinct, owing to the leaves which the snoas not thick enough to cover

We proceeded with great caution, and the trees being fairly wide apart, and the brush not very thick, Vidler remained mounted, whilst I continued at his side It was evident fro of theunusual was up, and from this we inferred the need of a keen look-out

We had thus proceeded some three hundred yards, e suddenly caround We each lifted our eyes from the land, which we had continued to closely scan for traces of the trail, ere startled by a snarl, and just ahead, lying under the trunk of a big tree which had fallen across the dip, was a huge panther, apparently just awakened fro its tail and quivering with rage, and was evidently preparing to spring upon us

Here, then, undoubtedly was the cause of all the recent trouble For awith alar Vidler fro the way by which we had coh it all took place in much less tiistered on my mind till this day

There was no time, even had I had the necessary self-possession, for me to take aim and fire, and had I done so it would alun was loaded only with a charge for a partridge or woodchuck

As theround away from me, I seized Vidler's foot, which was ht that prevented higed clear of danger The suddenness of the rasp, and as Vidler possessed no weapon ere defenceless, and it would have beenfor mine

It seemed but a moment before we reached the open ”lot,” where with difficulty we reined the mare in After a brief deliberation we decided to -party We made our way to the store of Wack Stillman, a favourite rendezvous for the loafers and off-works Here we found Orson Clark, one of the best hunters in all the countryside, with two others with a large strain of the swashbuckler in their characters, ere always ready for excitereed to divide the reward should in, and believing that we five were equal to it, we decided to keep the information and to confine operations to ourselves

It was not long before ere off, each of us now ar the wood, we agreed that, after we had indicated the direction of the trail, Orson Clark, as the most experienced, should lead the way, the rest of us following at his heels

As we approached the tree under which we had left the panther lying, the tension became so oppressive that each felt that he could hardly breathe, nor e one, as we could not tell at what step we ht come across him ”Keep close, men,”

whispered Orson, as we continued to creep on, each with his finger on the trigger of his gun

He had scarcely spoken the words when a most terrific roar, which seemed to come from the tree-tops near by, rent the air, and at the sa out As neither of our band had fired, ere puzzled to knohat it all meant, when a shrill, boyish voice shouted, froot hi to the spot whence the shout proceeded, ere astonished to find the thirteen-year-old son of Orson Clark standing, with an old blunderbuss in his hands, in a triumphant attitude by the panther, which lay as dead as a door-nail on the ground before him!

”What on earth does this mean?” exclaimed his father, as he took in the scene

It transpired that when Orson went hoet his rifle he told his wife of the projected adventure, and the boy, as in an adjoining room, overheard The spirit of adventure inherited from his father was immediately aroused, and he determined to seek a share in the enterprise Unobserved he took the old blunderbuss fro that his father ht forbid should his intentions be known, he -party within his viehilst concealing hister hunted on his own account

Keeping a little ahead and wide of the party, he came across the panther up in a tree He had no difficulty in attracting its attention, and, after contee brute was about to spring upon the boy as it gave the tremendous roar referred to

At the sa full in the heart, and bringing the great beast tu dead at his feet

When the father realised the situation, his feelings ined

His first look at the boy indicated vexation at his recklessness, followed by admiration at his pluck and thankfulness for his escape from almost certain death had the shot failed to reach a vital part However, ed A rail fros were tied to it, and in this way he was borne to the village