ery
which did not please him at all.

The object was nothing more than a part of a fallen tree, the
trunk resting half in and half out of the water and several branches
sticking out in as many directions. At a distance it looked a
little like the rowboat but the resemblance faded completely as
he got closer.

"Too bad! I thought it was the boat sure!" he murmured. "Well,
I'll have to rest on the log a bit, before I strike out for shore."

He swam up to one of the branches and caught hold of it. He was
on the point of reaching for the tree trunk when an unusual sound
came to his ears.

Then Snap made a discovery that almost took his breath from him.
On the tree trunk rested a big wildcat, it's eyes gleaming fiercely
at the youth in the water!

CHAPTER XII

THE CAMP ON LAKE CAMERON

Snap did not stand upon the order of his going, but went at once.
Without a thing with which to defend himself, he had no desire to
come into contact with such a savage creature as a wildcat, and,
consequently, he dropped back into the water in a hurry and started
back for the shore. He almost fancied he heard the wildcat splash
in after him, and a chill crept down his backbone which was not
caused by the night air.

"Hello! hello!" he yelled to Shep.

"Got the boat?" came back the cry.

"Not much! Get your shotgun ready and fire a shot into the air."

"What's the matter?"

"A wildcat is out here---on a floating log. I'm afraid he's after me."

"A wildcat! Want me to scare him away?"

"Yes."

The doctor's son now understood, and raising his shotgun with one arm
he pulled the trigger.

The report sounded out loudly in the night air and the echoes went
ringing over the surrounding hills.

In the meantime Snap continued to swim for the shore with all
possible speed. Fortunately he came in where there was a sandbar, so
that he could wade to solid ground. When Shep reached him he was
panting for breath.

"I wa---was---never so scar---scared in my, life!" he panted. "It was
only an old tree, and I was going to take a rest on it when I heard
the wildcat. He was a big fellow, and his eyes seemed to bore me
through and through. Maybe I didn't strike out for shore in a hurry!

"I don't blame you," answered the doctor's son. "Did he jump in the
water after you?"

"I don't know."

"And it wasn't the boat?"

"No, I didn't see a thing of the boat."

Snap lost no time in dressing, and in the meantime S