Part 16 (1/2)

”Where's un?” At least three different shouts arose

”Get out of range there, kid!” bellowed Billy, who had drawn a heavy revolver, and, on hands and knees, sought to get a line on the common enemy

”But that's my panther!” cried the voice of Bluff

Frank saw hih hardly in a position to see as going on, Will see in a desperate fashi+on The fellow, as usual, was thinking only of what a grand thing it would be if he could only get that scene for posterity to gaze upon

”I hope Bluff ai to hier of the bullet doing soht happen to be on the other side, partly screened by the brush

The crash of the gun followed

”Wow!” shouted Reddy, falling back as the panther tue those poisonous claws ony of the beast

Then the rest of the scattered company appeared So theroup made their exit from under the canvas of the tent close by

The beast rithing in its last hold on life

”That'sto his feet, and still holding on to his gun

He was as white as a ghost, but a fire shone in his eyes telling of the spirit that had finally been aroused there Jerry would soon have to look to his laurels now

Mr Mabie laughed as he patted Bluff on the back

”I reckon it is, youngster; but you took big chances that time I'd advise you to slow up a bit in the future, when shooting in the dark

That iet you into more than one scrape, otherwise,” he said soberly

Bluff hung his head He kne that he had been too hasty, when there were so ners than himself around; but the loss of that elk had rankled in his heart, so that he could not resist the sudden temptation to redee to say, at least to the successful one He bent over the dead panther, and exa the fact that once again he had found himself left in the lurch

”You fellows move too fast,” he declared ”Now, if Bluff hadn't put in his oar, I was just about ready to shoot off a flashlight picture Just think what it wouldcat over the head with his torch! Oh! it's just tooto squeeze et the best picture there ever was! Even a rotten old log has to go and break off short--”

”Hey, Will! Let up on that whining, won't you?” cried Jerry, just then, fearful lest his secret was about to come out

Frank looked suspiciously at both his chuht that there was so between thes soon put this out of his

”We must keep an eye out the rest of the time we're here,” said Billy, after the coain around the fire

”Why?” asked Bluff, looking up fro the sleek fur of his prize

”The brutes often hunt in couples, you know This was the rown cubs around soive us a call sooner or later”

Bluff's hand had stolen out toward his gun at these words