t the best course for him to pursue under the
circumstances would be.

"I'll give him a shot, firing far over his head. Whoever it is, the
report must make him skedaddle like hot cakes," he thought, for he could
not bear the idea of doing a fellow human being any bodily harm, no
matter whether he were white or black.

Having so decided, Frank raised his gun a trifle further, so that it bore
on the tops of the cabbage palms beyond. Then his finger pressed the
trigger, and with the sudden report he gave a tremendous yell.

CHAPTER VII

A FLORIDA SHERIFF

There was an upheaval of various blankets, three faces peeped forth, and
then came a wild scramble for weapons.

"Wow! What is it, Frank!" bellowed Bluff.

"My camera! Who took it away from where I placed it?"

"Talk to me about that, will you! That fellow will howl after his
blooming box when he goes to cross the Styx after he dies," grunted
Jerry.

Frank had paid no attention to his comrades. His eyes were glued upon the
shadowy spot where he felt positive he had seen some creeping figure
drawing closer to the boat, inch by inch.

They heard him laugh aloud, as though something he had seen amused him.

"Was it a thief? And did you shoot him?" asked Will, appalled.

"A thief, all right; but I didn't shoot the beggar. Wish I had, now,"
responded the watch, with regret in his voice.

"Then it couldn't have been a human thief, for you'd never say that. Did
you see the critter go?" came from Jerry, as he peered forth, gun in
hand.

"I fired high on purpose, for I was afraid it might be poor old George
sneaking back to see if he could get away with any more of that fine
bacon. Whatever it was, it made a flying leap back into the shadows. I
thought I heard an angry or startled snarl, but you fellows made so much
confusion as you bounced up that I couldn't be sure."

"Jumped away, eh? Then I take it the thing must have been a bobcat," said
Jerry.

"Something along the cat family, anyway," replied Frank.

"Look here! You don't mean to say it was--a panther?" demanded the other.

"I'm not saying anything; but in the morning we'll go and take a look at
the ground behind that second log over there. If there are any tracks,
they ought to tell the story," remarked Frank, who, no matter how
positive he might feel that this was just what he had seen, would not
commit himself without some proof.

"That's what I get for waking Frank up so soon. Oh! why did