rouching upon a limb,
he glared down at his enemies.

Maddened at the escape of their quarry, the wolves circled the tree with
snapping jaws, leaping as far upward as possible, only to fall back
among their fellows. Their eyes gleamed red, but the lynx, safe on his
branch high above, felt only disdain. He knew that they could not reach
him.

The moon sank out of sight, leaving the forest in darkness, but still
the wolf pack kept watch beneath the tree, moving restlessly but always
alert. In the east the darkness paled and the sky became gradually
suffused with pink. The lynx thought that daylight would see the end of
his imprisonment, but though a few of the pack slunk away, enough
remained on guard to make a descent from the tree extremely hazardous.

Soon after sunrise, however, easier game was sighted and those beneath
the tree at once joined the chase, leaving the lynx free to stretch his
cramped muscles and descend from his perch. That morning he was
fortunate in finding the half-devoured carcass of a doe which a panther
had killed and left unguarded, and he ate greedily of the life-giving
food. His fur had grown ragged and his sides gaunt with hunger, but
after this satisfying meal new life and courage seemed to flow into his
veins.

For some reason the panther did not return to its kill and the flesh of
the deer kept the lynx in food for several days. All too soon, however,
it was gone, and starvation again stared him in the face. Then he
remembered the settlements, with their many dangers, but also with their
promise of food. So he drifted southward and found a new den not far
from the edge of the wilderness.

Thus it was that, late one afternoon, as the Hermit and Pal were
returning to the cabin after a tramp through the woods, the dog became
suddenly uneasy and the man again experienced the unpleasant sensation
of hostile eyes staring at him. Not caring to have darkness overtake him
in the woods, unarmed as he was, he whistled to Pal and went steadily
on, watchful but unafraid. The lynx, from the shadows of the trees,
watched him hungrily, longing to attack the small, harmless-looking
animal but afraid of the man.

Day after day the lucivee watched for a time when the dog might follow
the trail alone, but the Hermit did not permit Pal to wander off
unaccompanied, and he was careful to arm himself on his infrequent trips
into the forest. Though he was often aware of the presence of the lynx,
he caught o