The lads did not reply, but still stood listening. A third time the cry rang out from the woods. Then Chester laughed aloud.
"It's a cat!" he exclaimed.
"A cat!" echoed Stubbs.
"Yes, cats are plentiful in the war zone. Necessity has taken the edge off their skin-deep docility, and many of them resemble hyenas more than the domestic pets they used to be."
"Then there is nothing to fear," said Stubbs, drawing a breath of relief.
"No," replied Chester, "there is nothing to fear so long as we are many, but two or three of them would not hesitate to attack a single man. In fact, they have done so before now."
"What! pet cats attack a man?" exclaimed Stubbs.
"Yes, and from what I have heard, they are pretty tough customers. I heard that one man, in an encounter with four of the animals, had one of his eyes scratched out and was otherwise badly clawed before he could shoot them. Half starved, they are perfectly wild."
Stubbs shuddered.
"Let's get away from here, then," he exclaimed.