Part 2 (1/2)

Luckily the boy's hunting-coat was of tough buckskin, and when the lynx set her teeth in the collar she ieance upon flesh and blood And the sound she h to chill the marrow

Arnold had heard the scream and his chum's cry of surprise at the sudden assault But he did not understand it at first He surat his successful shot that had toppled a fine buck antelope in the grass

However, second thoughts quickly dispelled the first sur upon him in evident trouble

”Bob! Coet at it!”

Bob dashed into the long grass as the shortest route But before he had crossed the slough Alf had ot the lynx beneath hiht The claws of the ani swiftness, and the teeth snapped like steel gins In fact, the boy's opponent was siripped, but everything that could wound

”Don't shoot!” exclaiun half raised in his hands ”You can't get a clean shot at her--ugh! the brute!

She's clawed le while it lasted

Hot and panting, Alf fought to get a grip of the creature's throat She, on her part, seemed to divine his purpose, and battled successfully to prevent him

The combatants rolled over The lynx was uppermost, and she made a vicious snap at the boy's face But the quick head-turn of a trained boxer avoided that snap, and the sharp white teethhis neck

Alf gave a cry of pain

That was too -knife from its sheath, and threw hie of the blade in the ani his thuers into its throat, pulling towards hi the ani in the wound, and as the lynx felt another enemy above her, she momentarily turned her attention to the one above, while she struck with her claws to deliver herself fro her

That was Alf's chance He plucked at the hunting-knife, and plunged it into the wild animal with three rapid thrusts

Then followed another screa than the rest

It was a death-cry; for in aa limp body by the neck

Holden slowly rose froarded his clothes--especially the jacket, that hung fro dress of a Weary Willie

”Rather the worse for wear and tear!” he remarked with comical ruefulness

”Which? The clothes or yourself?” questioned Bob, as he threw the lynx's carcase to one side

”I guess it's the clotheselse There's a lot of blood about, but that's the lynx's e spectacle, for hardly an inch of his clothes had not been visited by claws or teeth The boy himself was covered with dust and dirt, while crimson patches of blood completed a picture that was both humorous and pathetic

Fortunately, both the boys were able to look at the e was not severe There was a scratch on Alf's shoulder Arnold exaer was likely to follow, since the claws had passed through the leather jacket before touching the flesh As a precaution against blood-poisoning, he insisted upon sucking the wound, after which he bound it with a handkerchief

”That will be all right, I expect,” he said, as the operation was completed ”I don't think we need worry about the other scratches”

”There would have been more--worse ones, probably--if you hadn't turned up,” said Alf ”I couldn't get at the beast any way She seemed to have claws like a porcupine's quills”