r! We don't want to run into any such beast as
that, Dave."

"Did you see a wildcat? Where is it?" demanded Roger, quickly, as he,
too, reached Dave's side.

"It went off in that direction," answered Dave, pointing with the barrel
of his rifle. "See! There it is!"

As Dave uttered the last words, Roger and Phil saw a small,
tawny-colored body creep out of some distant bushes and make a leap onto
a flat rock. The beast was indeed a wildcat, and as it came from cover
it swung around for a brief instant to gaze savagely at the boys. Then
it crouched low, preparatory to making a leap to another rock higher up.

Crack! It was Dave's rifle that rang out. And following the report the
wildcat was seen to leap into the air and then fall back on the rock,
where it whirled over and over several times.

"You hit it, Dave!" yelled Phil and Roger, simultaneously.

"What did you shoot at?" called out Ben, as he came plunging forward,
followed by Luke and Shadow.

"A wildcat! See, there it is on the rocks!" cried Roger.

"A wildcat! I didn't know there were any left around here," returned
Ben, and then he added, quickly: "There it goes! You didn't kill it
after all, Dave."

As Ben spoke, the wildcat gave another whirl on the rock, and then
slipped off through the bushes out of sight of the boys.

"I'll give him a shot from my gun if he needs it," announced Roger, as
he hurried forward.

"Be careful that he doesn't get at you first!" cried Dave, warningly.
"If he's only slightly wounded he'll be a dangerous customer to tackle."

The other boys followed Roger, and, having reloaded his weapon, Dave
followed suit. Soon all were standing close to the flat rock where the
wildcat had been hit.

"Where is it?"

"I don't see him anywhere."

"Be careful, he may land on you before you know it!"

"There! There! Look yonder!" The last cry came from Luke, and at his
words all turned quickly, to see the wildcat crouch between two trees
growing close to the rocks. With a snarl, the beast leaped out toward
them, the blood flowing from a wound along one forequarter.

Roger had the shotgun ready, and without taking time to bring the weapon
to his shoulder, he pulled the trigger.

Bang! went the piece, and then, with a final leap, the wildcat sprang
toward the boys, only to drop dead at their feet.

"Good! That's the way to do it!" cried Phil, enthusiastically. "That
wildcat won't bother us any more."

"Dave hit him in the forequ