236 Trails to Woods and Waters 



be pushed aside, but Ben only gripped his 

 club and grinned at my alarm. 



" Guess I better let him out, Harry," he 

 said at length. " It seems to be strangling 

 him," and to my horror he raised the stone so 

 as to make a small crack. 



Ben had gone mad, but his folly should be 

 on his own head. I was not going to be food 

 for a bobcat. 



Then Ben let go his hold on the stone and 

 it fell flat in front of the hole leaving the en- 

 trance free. With a yell of terror, I started 

 down the mountain side, not stopping even to 

 choose my footing, feeling that to break my 

 neck was better than to be clawed to ribbons. 



Presently, I made a misstep and landed in 

 a heap at the bottom of a little gully. When 

 I picked myself up, I heard Ben calling to 

 me. " Come back, Harry," he hallooed. 

 " It's all over. I've killed the bobcat." 



I clambered back but took care to recon- 

 noiter at a safe distance. 



It was just as Ben had said. The big gray 

 cat lay dead at his feet. My courage came 



