n'
it had a very long tail curled up at the end, which it moved like a
cat's.

"Boys, that catamount is the only animal that an Indian is skeered of.
Ask a red man to hunt a moose, a bear, or a wolf, an' he's ready to
follow it through forest an' swamp till he downs it or drops. But ask
him to chase a panther, an' he'll shake his head an' say, 'He all one
big debil!' He calls the beast, in his own lingo, 'lunk soos,' which
means 'Injun devil;' an' so we woodsmen call it too."

It was at this moment that Lin put his head in at the cabin-door, and
announced that "the wagon an' hosses war a' ready."

"Wal, boys, I swan! it's many a long year since a panther was seen in
these forests, so ye needn't feel skeery about meetin' one," said the
old settler, as he stood outside his log home, and watched his guests
start. "I'll 'low ye won't find travellin' too easy 'long the ole
corduroy road. Come again!"

There was much waving of hats as the wagon, a roomy, four-wheeled
vehicle, moved off, with a creaking in its joints as if it were
squealing a protest against its load, which consisted of the five lads,
together with knapsacks, guns, tents, and the camp duffle.

"Forward, all!" shouted Dr. Phil, who had been chosen to act as captain
of the two companies during the few days while they journeyed together.

Lin, who was charioteer, cracked a long whip above his horses. The boys
cheered, while Doc, Cyrus, and the two guides fell behind, choosing to
follow the wagon on foot for the first few miles of the journey.

"Where did you buy that, Lin?" asked Neal, climbing over to a perch
beside the driver, and pointing to a heavy Colt's revolver which the
young settler was buckling round his waist.

"Didn't buy it. I traded a calf for it at Greenville more'n a year ago,"
was the reply. "Fust-rate gun it is, too, I vum! I've stood at our
cabin-door, and killed many a buck with it. On'y 'tain't much good for
tackling a bear. Wish't the bears ud get as scarce as the panthers! Then
we'd be rid o' two master pests. Hello! Don't y'u git to tumbling out
jist yet! That's on'y a circumstance to the jolts there'll be when we
strike a bit o' corduroy road."

Lin Hathaway grabbed young Farrar by the elbow while he spoke, and held
him steady with the horny hand which had swung the axe against the
doomed pine-tree. For Neal had shown a sudden inclination to pitch
headlong out of the wagon, as its right wheels were hoisted a foot or
more above