if/ 



previous experience. But, whatever it 

 was, it did not please the invader; he 

 spat and spilled it out, and f lung the bot- 

 tle down as Kellyan gazed, astonished. 

 A remarkable " crack ! crack ! crack ! rr 

 from the fire was heard now, and the 

 cartridges began to go off in ones, twos, 

 fours, and numbers unknown. Gringo 

 whirled about; he had smashed every- 

 thing in view. He did not like that 

 Fourth of July sound, so, springing to a 

 bank, he went bumping and heaving 

 down to the meadow and had just stam- 

 peded the horses when, for the first 

 time, Gringo exposed himself to the 

 hunter's aim. His flank was grazed 

 by another leaden stinger, and Gringo, 

 wheeling, went off into the woods. 



The hunters were badly defeated. 

 It was fully a week before they had 

 repaired all the damage done by their 

 shaggy visitor and were once more at 



