hat it was
simply a matter of resemblance.

"Look there!" exclaimed the guide, before they had gone two hundred
steps from the camp, and pointing as he spoke.

"What was it?" asked Jerry eagerly.

"I saw a gray critter slinking away into that thicket!"

"The panther's mate!" cried Bluff excitedly, as he fingered his gun.

"I reckon it was; but we ain't lost no panther, and anyhow, this is a
hunt for elk meat. Come along, boys," remarked Reddy hastily.

They tramped for half an hour steadily, going far beyond where Bluff had
had his strange adventure with the wounded elk. Will trailed along in
the rear, holding on to his beloved camera. The woods looked as though
the recent dry weather had seared the leaves more or less, but they
lacked the splendid gorgeous tints of autumn.

More than once the others had to wait for the straggler, or else call to
him. He grew so interested in his surroundings, especially when trying
to get a view that particularly appealed to his fancy, that he was apt
to forget their mission entirely.

Once he aroused himself to the fact that he could no longer see his
comrades, or catch a sound of their voices. This disagreeable idea
caused him to hurry, and no doubt he became less cautious in navigating
some of the various narrow paths, for before he realized that he had
started a small avalanche, he was caught up in its gathering swoop, and
found himself being carried swiftly down a rather steep declivity,
unable to stay his rush.

CHAPTER XV

IN THE RAPIDS

"Give him another call, Frank!"

"That fellow beats all creation for lagging! I believe he'd rather snap
off his old camera than eat, any day. If he doesn't look out, that
panther may get--Glory to goodness! What's that, Reddy?" cried Jerry.

"Sounds like a bit of an avalanche, though this here is a queer time of
year for that. Generally comes, you know, in snow time, or when the
rains arrive," was the cowboy's ready answer.

"But--Will--he may have started it, and gone down into one of these
beastly holes!" observed Bluff uneasily.

"Let's go back, fellows, and make sure," remarked Frank instantly.

They retraced their steps, Reddy leading the way, and every one on the
lookout for any signs of an unusual happening.

"There's where it fell, and it looks like quite a lot of stuff had gone
down the slope," said their guide presently.

"Hello, Will! Will!" shouted Frank.

"Well, I'm waiting for you," said a quiet voi