THE PANTHER. 
171 
and nicely proportioned. Jack looked very 
much gratified. 
“I’ll make her something better than 
these when I am able to get about again, 
—if I ever do,” said he. “I love to tinker 
at such things. Oh, by-the-way, I forgot 
to tell you something. Mr. Wilbur was up 
here this morning, and told father that one 
of his hogs was killed and almost eaten up 
in the woods near Dean’s Hollow last night; 
and, from the tracks they found, he is pretty 
certain it was a panther that did the mis¬ 
chief. Just think!—a panther within a 
mile of the village!” 
“I knew it was!” exclaimed Sidney, 
much to the surprise of his companions. 
“I was sure of it; and so was Dave Bar¬ 
ton.” 
“Sure of what? What do you mean?” 
asked Richard, wonderingly. 
“ Sure it was a panther that we heard 
at the upper spring after you left us last 
night.” And Sidney again described the 
incidents, adding, “ I believe Mr. Crediton 
thought so too, though he didn’t say so.” 
“I thought it was queer your being so 
quiet and his hurrying us so,” said Rich- 
