The Speckled Heifer's Calf 235 



Ben seemed much pleased at this discovery, 

 and, for final evidence that the cat had 

 holed, he picked a gray hair from the 

 edge of the rock and held it up for my inspec- 

 tion. 



" Looks just like the one we saw on the 

 tree, Harry," he said. " Now you take the 

 pail and scramble into the hole and feed the 

 cat some brimstone, while I stay outside and 

 keep the male bobcat from coming in and dis- 

 turbing you." 



" Not much," I said. " I haven't lost any 

 bobcat." 



Ben brought a large flat stone and placed 

 it so that it would cover the entrance to the 

 den. Then he put the brimstone into the 

 mouth of the den and set fire to it, covering 

 the flat stone over with his coat, that none of 

 the fumes might escape. 



For a minute or two, all was silent inside, 

 but finally we heard a coughing and scratch- 

 ing; then the cat made a sudden rush for the 

 entrance of the den. 



I was terribly afraid that the stone would 



