The Rover Boys In The Mountains; Or, A Hunt for Fun and Fortune

  CHAPTER XIX.

  DICK AND THE WILDCAT.

  "Well, it's mighty funny Tom and Sam don't come up."

  It was Dick who spoke. He stood in the shelter of a number of walnuttrees, and close at hand was John Barrow.

  The pair had missed the others ten minutes before, and were now waitingimpatiently for their reappearance.

  "It can't be as how they missed the trail in this snow," said JohnBarrow soberly. "Let us shout for 'em."

  They set up a shout, and waited impatiently for an answer. But nonecame, and they called again.

  "We had better go back for them," said Dick, his face full of atroubled look. "I wouldn't have them get lost in this snowstorm for theworld."

  It was decided to leave the sled where it was, and soon they werehurrying along the back trail. But the snow and wind were against them,and they made slow progress.

  "It will not be necessary to relate all the particulars of the nextthree hours. In vain they looked for Tom and Sam. Not a trace of themissing lads could be discovered.

  "This the worst yet!" groaned Dick, as he came to a halt, all out ofbreath. "I thought, all along, that they were keeping close behind us!"

  "I told them to do so," returned the guide.

  They had fired several shots, but the reports had failed, as we know, toreach the ears of the missing Rovers. They were now at their wits' endregarding what to do next.

  "I'd give a hundred dollars rather than have this happen," went on Dick."Why, they'll starve to death if they really get lost!"

  "Oh, aint you mistaken there, Dick? They have the other sled, remember;and each o' 'em has a gun for to bring down any game as is wanted."

  "That's true, and it's one comfort. But there is no telling when theyreach civilization again. Why, this forest is about as bad as someplaces in the far West."

  "I believe you there, lad. Well, they've got to make the best o' it. Ireckon they'll strike out for the river and come up that to Bear Pond,over the rocks an' rapids an' all."

  Supper time found the pair on the river again, four miles below BearPond. It was decided that they should camp at that spot for the night.

  "We'll build a big camp-fire and keep it a-going," said Dick. "Perhapsthey will see it."

  "That's an idee," returned John Barrow, and before doing anything elsethe camp-fire was started, in an open spot along the river bank. Dicksaw to it that it blazed up merrily, and kept piling on all the drybrushwood he could find, until the flames shot up fully twenty feet intothe air, making the surroundings as bright as day.

  For supper they cooked another of the wild turkeys, but it must beconfessed that Dick had little appetite for eating. John Barrow noticedit, and he did his best to cheer up the youth.

  "Don't worry too much, lad," he said. "Take my word on it, they'll turnup by morning, sure. You've said yourself they've been through puttytryin' times, in Africa and out West."

  On the way to the river John Barrow had brought down several rabbits andsome birds, and these were hung up on the low branches of a nearby tree.They proceeded to make themselves comfortable under this tree, cuttingdown some cedar branches for a flooring, and banking up some otherbranches and some snow to keep off the wind.

  "I don't think I'll go to sleep," said Dick. "I'm going to keep the firepiled high, so that it will light up as it's doing now."

  "Then I'll turn in right away," answered the guide. "It's eighto'clock. You call me at two, and that will be givin' you a fair napafore daybreak." And so it was agreed.

  It did not take John Barrow long to settle himself, and soon he wassnoring as peacefully as though lying in his bed at home. Sitting downclose to the fire, Dick gave himself up to his thoughts.

  And what numerous thoughts they were--of home and of school, of hisbrothers, and of the Baxters and their other enemies, and of all thathad happened since they had first started to go to Putnam Hall. And thenhe thought of the Lanings and of the Stanhopes, and lingered long overthe mental picture of sweet Dora and of what she had last said to him.

  "She's just an all-right girl," he said to himself. "Heaven bless herand keep her from any further trouble!"

  When the fire showed signs of burning low he arose and piled on morebrushwood. There was hardly enough at hand to suit him, and, ax in hand,he started back from the river, to cut more.

  He was within fifteen feet of some dense bushes when of a sudden he cameto a halt, as he saw a pair of gleaming eyes glaring at him. As soon ashe noticed the eyes they disappeared.

  "A wild animal," he thought. "Can it be a wolf?"

  Retracing his steps to the fire, he caught up his gun and waited. Butthe animal did not appear, nor did Dick hear any sound save the murmurof the wind through the snow-clad trees.

  The youth wondered if he ought to awaken the guide, but finally resolvedto let John Barrow sleep. "I ought to be able to take care of one wolf,"he reasoned. "I've taken care of worse than that in my time."

  Gun in hand, he advanced upon the bushes once more. He expected to see awolf slink away at any moment, but no beast came to view, and, afterwalking completely around the growth, he laid down the gun and went towork vigorously with the ax.

  Bush after bush was brought down in rapid succession, until in tenminutes Dick calculated he had cut sufficient to last the camp-fire forthe rest of the night. Then he lowered the ax and caught up a largebush, to drag it close to the blaze.

  As he turned around he met a sight that, for the instant, chilled him tothe backbone. There, between the blaze and the tree under which JohnBarrow was sleeping, crouched a wildcat, a large, fierce-lookingcreature, with fire-shot eyes and a stubby tail which was movingnoiselessly from side by side, as the creature prepared itself to make aleap.

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

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

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

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

  The gun was double-barreled, and once more Dick let drive. But he wasnot overly cool, and the charge merely nipped the beast in its leftfront leg. It continued to come on, and as it did so Dick commenced toretreat.

  "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 thefire, he reached for his rifle, which he had brought along in additionto his shotgun.

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

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

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

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