m; I'm glad to see you back," said Ned.

"I'm not glad he's come back, the murderer. He has killed my 'coon."

"You remember what my Indian said. 'Panther eat wildcat, wildcat eat
'coon.' Shall I shoot him, Dick?"

"Shoot Tom? Well I guess not. He didn't know any better. I'm awful
sorry the 'coon has gone, but I'd hate worse to lose Tom."

"How did it happen?"

"I was feeding the 'coon, and had just put out my hand to rub his
head when he jumped in the air and started for that tree like a
streak of lightning. He never got there, though. Something was after
him like two streaks of lightning. I didn't know it was Tom till it
was all over. That wasn't very long, either. If there had been any
time I'd have had Tom by the ears or tail and taught him a thing or
two."

"Glad you didn't have time, Dick. I'm afraid Tom might have taught
you a few things. Don't you think you had better get over what one
cat has done to you before you tackle another?"

"But Tom isn't that kind of a cat, Ned. I'm not afraid of his
hurting me much. He might scratch me a little at first, but he'd be
sorry for it, soon as he had time to think it over. Wouldn't you,
Tom?"

"Cats are cats, Dick, and I don't think it's safe to leave you alone
with that wildcat. You are too weak to help yourself if he really
tackled you."

"But he won't attack me. So what's the use of talking about things
that aren't going to happen? You are a good boy, Neddy, but you've
got your limitations and you can't appreciate Tom."

[Illustration: "THE COON SCRAMBLED TO THE TOP OF A LITTLE TREE"]

Ned spent much of his time coddling the invalid. He paddled out in
the lakes and among its keys. He explored the waters and the woods
and brought Dick wild grapes with much character and cocoa plums
with little; sea-grapes with juice that had the taste of claret and
the color of blood; figs, of which Dick said: "De breed am small,
but de flavor am delicious"; wild sapadillos that were sweet as
honey, but chewed up into a solid ball of soft india rubber; and
mastic berries that were delicious to the taste, but stuck like a
porous plaster to the roof of the mouth. He got out the rod and
caught mangrove snappers from under the banks and sheephead from
their hiding places among sunken logs and snags. He dove for turtle
that he never got and hacked at young palmettos for buds that he did
get.

Days followed days and though Dick grew better he didn't grow
strong. Ned got anxiou