ad been, only to find
that they had gone. They saw them again on a smaller prairie and
once more tried to get near the creatures by creeping through the
woods. When the hunters were as near the game as they could go
without getting out of cover the animals were yet a hundred and
fifty yards distant. One of them was a fine buck and Ned watched it,
rifle in hand, for many minutes, hoping it would come nearer. As the
deer fed they sometimes came nearer and his hopes rose, only to sink
into his boots when they turned away. At last he gave up waiting for
a better chance and fired. The buck threw up his head, looked around
for a moment and trotted quietly away, entirely unharmed, followed
by the other deer.

"It isn't our day, Dick," said Ned, ruefully, as he watched the
disappearing animals.

"Here goes for something to eat, anyhow," replied Dick, as he
dropped a curlew that was flying over them. After broiling and
eating the bird, together with some hoe-cake which they had in their
pockets, the boys resumed their hunt for deer. They saw several more
during the afternoon, but ill luck followed them and they finally
set out for camp empty-handed.

As the boys were passing through a thick clump of trees on the bank
of the river, about two hundred yards from their camp, Ned was
suddenly held back by a clutch on his shoulder, and turning his
head, saw Dick's face upturned and his eyes fixed on the large
branch of a big tree just before them. As Ned looked upward he saw
the form of a huge panther, or mountain lion, crouching upon the
limb and apparently about to spring upon him. The animal was within
ten feet, every muscle was tense, his long tail was waving slowly
and Ned stood motionless, charmed by the living beauty of the beast,
until he heard Dick's whisper in his ear:

"Shoot, Ned!"

The hypnotic spell was broken and Ned slowly raised his rifle to his
shoulder, while the panther crouched lower and waved his tail more
quickly. In another second it might be too late, and once more Dick
whispered:

"Shoot, Ned! Quick!"

The bullet struck the beast and the next instant Ned was knocked
down by the body of the brute. He was unharmed, however, for Dick
had jumped between them and it was in Dick's arm that the panther's
teeth were set and Dick's shoulder and side that were being raked by
its cruel claws. In an instant Ned's clasp knife was being driven
into the body of the beast whose throat Dick's hand was clutching in