selessly from side by side, as the creature prepared itself to make a
leap.

"Gracious! he's going to attack Mr. Barrow!" thought Dick, but even as
this flashed over his mind the wildcat made a leap into the tree, close
to where hung the game the guide had brought down some hours before.

"Thank goodness, he's only after the meat," thought Dick, and the chill
he had experienced passed away. Then, struck with a new idea, he leaped
for his gun.

Several twigs of the tree were in the way of getting a good aim, and he
had to circle around to the other side before he could get another good
view of the wildcat. In the meantime the beast had grabbed up the wild
turkey that was left, and clutching it tight in its mouth, started to
drop to the snow-covered ground.

Bang! went the gun and the charge of heavy shot took the wildcat in the
left flank, making a bad, but not a fatal, wound. The beast dropped the
wild turkey and let out a fearful snarl of rage. Then it saw Dick, gave
another snarl, and leaped toward the youth.

The gun was double-barreled, and once more Dick let drive. But he was
not overly cool, and the charge merely nipped the beast in its left
front leg. It continued to come on, and as it did so Dick commenced to
retreat.

"Hi! what's up?" came from John Barrow, and throwing aside his blanket,
he leaped to his feet.

"A wildcat!" ejaculated Dick. "Quick! Shoot him!"

"By gosh!" muttered the guide, and blinking in the bright light of the
fire, he reached for his rifle, which he had brought along in addition
to his shotgun.

By this time the wildcat was close to Dick, and now, watching its
opportunity, it leaped upon the youth, trying to bury its claws in
Dick's shoulder.

Hardly knowing what to do, Dick brought around the gun barrel and poked
it into the open mouth of the wildcat. With a gurgle of pain the beast
fell back, but quickly gathered itself for another leap.

"Back!" shouted John Barrow. "Back, and let me git a shot at the
critter!"

Dick was perfectly willing to retreat, and started to do so. But the
wildcat was too quick for him, and in a twinkle youth and beast were
down on the ground together, and the wildcat was trying to reach the
boy's throat with its cruel fangs!

CHAPTER XX.

BEAR POND AT LAST.

It was indeed a moment of supreme peril, and Dick felt very much as if
his last moment on earth had come. He put out his hands mechanically and
grabbed the wildcat by the throat