The Boy Scouts on Sturgeon Island or Marooned Among the Game-fish Poachers

tretching that long neck of his at a fearful rate,

here he could not apparently pass down the trunk of the tree, for fear lest he come in contact with the sharp claws of the dre

of the tree, making use of the branches as he came along,

height with such perfect abandon, was on

for Davy was addicted to practical jokes, and some of his chums suspected that eve

's fright had been genuine. He may not have seen a truly savag

hastened to snatch up the camp hatchet in lieu o

a tremor in his voice that he tried in vain t

, as this expedition had not been organized with any idea of hunting; and the season for game was not on as yet, either, even in this northern country; tho

ct is, boys, I didn't really see the terrib

to give Allan a wink, as much as to let him un

u agoin' to see his eyes and not glimpse the panther him

ook of commiserati

side as your hat after night. And when I just happened to look that way what did I see but a pair of round yellow eyes astaring straight at me! Guess I've seen a panther, and I ought to know how his eyes look in the dark-just like you've seen the o

s snickered at this. Th

plainly very m

"Mebbe, now, you, don't believe what I'm telling you! Mebbe one of you'd like

understand, though sure I'd like to accommodate first rate," replied the scout

them up in good style; "I notice that you're looking like you didn't reckon there couldn't abeen such a thing as a g

ly, and laid his hand on the region

to have so often. There's agripe coming on right now, and you see how unpleasant it would be to fin

scoffers in by turns. "He's of an investigating turn of mind, and if he wants to, I reckon he mi

ow how it is with me. I ain't worth a cooky before I've had my feed. Feel sorter weak about the knees, to tell you the honest tru

vy laughed

mb up there and poke that ugly old beast out of his den it'll have to be either our scout-master, or Alle

said Thad

to force the shotgun into the hands of the other

an again exc

ed it, do you, Allan

nd shoot at the same time. Here, let me take that thing, Step Hen; you're that nervous. If anything did happen to

lan knew much better how to use firearms than he did, and if there was any occasion for shooting, the responsibility would be off

loft, as though wishing to assure himself that there was no panther in

one that Davy had not seen what he claimed at all; but his fear

h a savage beast as a panther he would never have ventured w make that

to follow the daring climber with their eyes, meanwhile exchangi

the outcome; because Davy kept on asserting his positive belief that it was

ew rounder and rounder, and he began to quietly edge away from under the tree, an inch at a time; for he hoped none of his chums would notice hi

retty far now, and I reckon must be close by t

's marking time, so to speak, for he's hanging

fellow might take chances, if it's a case of necessity, and quick action is necessary in order to s

ry scout, and that's what he's doing. He wan

ppened to me. Some fellers act from impulse every time, and you can't change the spots of the leopard

draw attention somewhere else. Make me think of what I read about the pearl divers when they see an old hungry man-eating shark waiting above 'em; they stir up the sand with the sharp-pointed stick they carry;

this occurred he often made out to back him up with approval, just as some bo

ed them at that juncture; and so for the time being Davy and Bumpus forgo

any more, the branches a

his head this

Giraffe; "seems like he didn't find any sign

imself to say, though no doubt he himself

roke out a series of strange so

? Hear him talking, will you? Didn't you catch what he said right then-no, you don't grab me, you rascal; I'm afraid I'll have to knock you on

fied at, first, because they imagined it might bit Thad and the panther, that, meeting

his club," cried

" ejaculated Bumpus. "Oh! poor Thad. He'll be in a bad

ree right smart!" Step Hen announced; which intelligence allowed Bumpus to breathe fr

see if there's any signs of a big cat trailing af

round the foot of the big tree, so as to welcome the

here I could understand it, because, well I won't say what I was agoing to, because it might

party indicated, making a threatening ges

. Thad, as soon as he found his feet fixed on solid ground once more,

your pant

hs, and then a series of yells broke forth that