“We can’t see anything,” answered Jack.
The boys on the ground were alarmed, but this was as nothing compared to the alarm felt by Andy. His weapon had been left behind, and so he was practically defenseless.
“There he is! I see him!” came suddenly from Randy. “There!” And he pointed to a branch on one side of the tree. There was a flash of a hairy body, a quivering of some of the leaves, and then all became quiet again.
“It was a wildcat!”
“That’s just what it was!”
“Where did he go to?”
“Hi, you fellows!” cried Andy. “If it’s a wildcat don’t drive it up here!”
“Can’t you break off a tree limb and use it for a club, Andy?” called out Jack. “Maybe you can keep the wildcat from reaching you, anyway.”
The words had scarcely been uttered when with a catlike scream the wildcat suddenly sprang from one side of the tree to the other. As it passed through midair all of those below saw it plainly. It was full grown and had a pair of glaring greenish eyes and claws that looked exceedingly formidable.
Bang! It was Spouter’s weapon that spoke, but the charge of shot passed below the limb on which the wildcat now rested. The youth had been afraid to aim his weapon too high for fear of hitting Andy.