ecome crossed in some way and then loosened
themselves. He continued his descent, but just as he reached a branch
two feet further down a peculiar cry came to his alert ears, a cry not
unlike that of an angry cat.

"Hello! something is up in this tree, that is sure," he told himself.

He listened, and then heard another cry, this time less than two yards
below him, coming from one of the larger branches of the big cedar. At
once he sent up a shout.

"What's wanted?" questioned his twin. "Why don't you hurry up down so we
can do some more hunting?"

"There is some wild animal in this tree!" answered Andy. "I don't know
what it is, but it sounds like a wildcat."

"A wildcat!" burst out several of the others.

"And Andy hasn't any gun!" cried Gif. "Come on, let us see if we can't
shoot the thing!"

"Go slow there," cautioned Jack. "Let us see if we can't locate it and
find out what it is first. We don't want it to attack Andy while he is
unarmed."

"Are you in any danger, Andy?" called out Fred.

"Where is the cat--or whatever it is?" asked Randy.

"It's just below me somewhere. I can't see it, but I can hear it plainly
enough. It's moving around in those lower branches. I guess I had better
stay up here for a while;" and as he spoke Andy mounted to a higher
limb. With no weapon handy, he had no desire to face any wild animal.

Those below slowly circled the big cedar, keeping their eyes on the
alert for a view of whatever might be prowling around among the
branches. They had their guns ready for use, but realized that they must
fire with great caution, or otherwise they might hit the lad who was in
peril.

"I suppose the wildcat, or whatever it is, was up in the tree and didn't
know what to do when Andy started to come up. The beast knew we were
down here, or otherwise it would probably have jumped down and run off."

"Squirrels don't cry like a cat, and I heard that beast just cry," said
Jack. "All squirrels do is to chatter."

"There's another danger," said Gif. "If we come too close to that tree
we'll probably drive the wildcat, or whatever it is, up to where Andy
is."

"Here's the bird!" shouted Andy from above, and threw the partridge down
and away from the tree.

Jack and Andy's twin took a few steps closer to the big cedar, at the
same time holding their guns ready for instant use. They peered upward
among the snow-laden branches, and presently caught sight of a slinking
form resting in a crotc