NEWS AT THE VILLAGE. 
217 
“ Yes, indeed: I should like it above all 
things. But I suppose they won’t take any 
boys: will they ?” 
“Father said I might go if I like,” said 
David, “hut I know he wants to go himself; 
and I rather think I shall stay and ’tend 
store.” 
“ Have they heard any thing more about 
the panther?” asked Sidney. “Has he 
been seen ?” 
“Ho, but his tracks have. Two pigs have 
been carried off from Bowker’s farm; and 
Jemmy Bowker thought he heard him 
when he was out looking for his cows last 
night. But then Jemmy is afraid of his 
shadow; and if he heard any one say 4 pan¬ 
ther’ while he was out in the pasture, he 
would think a whole pack of them were after 
him.” 
“ They might say the same of us,” said 
Sidney, smiling. “You know we had been 
hearing all sorts of stories about them just 
before.” 
“Yes, I know; and, if nothing had hap¬ 
pened to make us certain that there was 
something in it, I should almost have 
19 
