east."

Uncle Toby came down from his perch rather dubiously, as if he feared
that the danger might not be all over.

"What happened to you, Uncle Toby?" asked Frank, giving the others a wink
not to joke the old fellow too seriously, for he was still trembling.

"Yuh see 'twar dis way, Marse Frank: dat cat he jest wanted de ham more'n
Unc Toby did, an' I naturally lets him hab it. He jumps down from de
tree, an' I feels a notion to elevate 'bout dat time. Don' know how I
gits up dar, but 'spect I done fly," explained the cook, as well as his
chattering teeth would permit.

"He means he aviated upward," grinned Jerry.

Will was patting his camera lovingly.

"Oh! I do hope it turns out fine," he said; "for that would be a jolly
hit. I'd rather snap off pictures like that than shoot a grizzly or a
bull moose. Me for the gentle life. I'm no butcher."

"Talk to me about that, will you? You're a sport all right, Will, only it
happens that your tastes run in a different direction from mine. Don't
knock my love of fair play, and I won't laugh at your wanting to snap off
every living thing you see, to make up a freak collection."

"All right, then, Jerry; consider it a bargain. I suppose you'll have
a muff made out of this nice fur for somebody?" continued Will,
stroking the cat.

"Haven't given it a thought. Besides, half of the honor belongs to
Frank."

"What's that? I made a mess of it, and the beast would have escaped if
you hadn't shot him on the jump?" exclaimed Frank.

"And if you hadn't wounded him how could I have ever had a chance to
shoot? You can't get out of it, old man; we'll share the honors,"
returned Jerry.

Frank said no more, but such generosity only drew him closer to his chum.

Fortunately the supper had not advanced far enough to be ruined. They
were able to save most of the ham, which was a comfort. Frank declared
that he wondered at the beast taking to smoked pork; he could not
remember any similar circumstance in all his hunting, and concluded that
possibly the wildcat must have been unusually hungry.

It had really been quite a strenuous day, and the boys were glad to
sit around the big fire and partake of the good supper which Uncle
Toby prepared.

Bluff had to relate his story again and again, but it differed little
from what he had already told.

"I made a silly fool of myself, I know now, and it was mighty fine in
you fellows coming to pull me out of the hole I dropped into. If t