llow
was anxious to be the first to get bad marks registered against him in
the record of the big hike.

Those selected for doing duty during the first part of the night paced
their posts, and exchanged low calls whenever they drew near one
another. They were expected to keep a vigilant watch over the entire
camp, and if the least suspicious thing caught their attention, a signal
had been arranged whereby Paul would be notified, even though he were
asleep at the time.

Two hours passed without the slightest alarm. Then came the time to
change sentries. Paul and Wallace were among the quartette that now came
on duty; for the acting scoutmaster insisted on sharing the duties of
his men. He refused to benefit by the circumstances that had conspired
to thrust him into the exalted position usually filled by Mr. Gordon.

Just as Wallace had predicted, the moon faded out of sight before
half-past eleven came around. After that it was certainly dark, and
perhaps it seemed more so on account of the contrast.

Believing that if any peril hung over them, now was the time for it to
make itself known, Paul redoubled his vigilance as he kept back in the
shadows among the trees and eagerly watched in the direction of the
camp.

For half an hour nothing happened. He heard the customary sounds in the
woods, with which he was so familiar, and which he so dearly loved.

Then, while he was gazing at the dying camp fire he suddenly made a
discovery that gave him quite a start.

Some moving object caught his eye, not upon the ground as might have
been expected, but up in the branches of a wide-spreading oak tree.

CHAPTER XIV

THE CHASE

Paul looked again, and more closely.

The light from the fire was becoming fickle. Once in a while the flame
would start up, and give quite some little illumination. Then dying down
lower than ever, it allowed a condition of half darkness to prevail.

Of course it had been during one of these former periods that Paul made
his startling discovery; and he waited in considerable suspense until
the flame took a notion to feed upon another little stock of tinder.

Could it really be a bear up there in that big oak, the branches of
which reached out, and shook hands with those of other trees? Paul
chuckled at the idea; it was so absurd. Save for an occasional traveling
Italian with a trained bear, no such animal had been known to exist in
all this section for many years.

A bobcat then? T