Bang! bang! bang! went the guns in the hands of Gif, Randy, and Spouter. But whether they hit the wildcat or not, they could not tell. There was a whirl in the snow, and then in a twinkling the beast had disappeared into the forest behind them.


BANG! BANG! BANG! WENT THE GUNS IN THE HANDS OF GIF, RANDY, AND SPOUTER.


"Well, it's gone, anyhow," declared Jack, in a tone of great relief. "You can come down, Andy."

Andy was soon out of the tree, and, having picked up the two partridges, the six young hunters continued on their way, as they supposed, in the direction of Cedar Lodge.

Presently they came to another clearing, and on the far side of this noted some animals hopping about which they felt certain must be rabbits.

"Let's go over there!" cried Fred excitedly. "Maybe we can make a good haul."