“Those fellows can’t be very far off,” said Harry. “And the sooner we overtake them the better. It’s more than likely they’ll use up all our coffee, crackers and other stuff if they are given half a chance.”
The midday meal was soon over, and, somewhat refreshed by their brief rest, the boys moved on with renewed vigor.
“We are in the very depths of these woods,” said Harry. “See how thick the trees are.”
“Supposing we get lost?” put in Boxy. “Those fellows might have lost their way for all we know.”
A minute or two later Jack fancied he saw some sort of an animal moving through the brush to his right. He made a dash for it, calling to the others to wait until his return.
He was gone but a short while, and then they heard him yelling for them to come to him.
They soon joined him, and discovered that he had killed a strange-looking beast, not unlike a wildcat. He had a desperate struggle with the animal, and his clothing was torn in several places.
“It was a blow on the back that settled him,” he said. “I must have paralyzed his backbone. What a horrible-looking thing!”
“Are you going to take it along?” asked Boxy.
“No, leave it where it is. It gives me the creeps to look at it!”