Left to itself, the fire burnt merrily, the new fuel causing the flames to shoot up far above the brushwood. The light attracted several magnificent deer to the vicinity and the timid creatures came closer and closer in their curiosity. On the trail of the deer came a large and powerful panther, empty in stomach and longing for a meal of venison.
Closer and closer to the camp-fire came the deer, sniffing the air suspiciously and eyeing the fascinating blaze with nervous wonder. Then the burning logs fell in a heap and they shrank back, startled by the noise, slight as it was. As the blaze went down the panther crept closer and still closer. Its hungry eyes gleamed ferociously and its jaws began to work convulsively. Step by step it came up at the rear of the largest of the deer, closer and still closer. Now it squatted flat on the ground and gathered itself for a leap. Several seconds passed, and the deer turned, as if told by instinct that something was wrong. Then came a swift whirr of a heavy body through the midnight air and the panther landed on the deer and brought it to the ground.
CHAPTER VIII
ON TO ANNAPOLIS
Both Dave and his uncle awoke with a start and sat bolt upright in the shelter of brush. The fire had died down so that they could see but little around it, the moon had gone behind a dense mass of clouds.
“What was that?” cried the youth, as he reached for his gun, which had been placed close at hand.
“I heard a snort of some kind,” answered Joseph Morris. “Perhaps some wild beast has attacked the horses.”
He, too, caught up his weapon, and a bound took him outside. Then he ran with all speed to where the steeds were tethered.
When Dave reached the side of the camp-fire he paused. He had been about to follow his uncle, when a snort of pain, followed by a cracking of bones, reached his ears. The sounds did not come from the direction of the horses, but from a glade on the opposite side of the camp-fire.
Catching up a burning fagot, he hurried in the direction. The noise continued, and soon he made out the form of the struggling deer as the head and antlers were waved from side to side in an endeavor to pierce the panther’s side.
“This way, Uncle Joe!” he cried. “A deer is fighting with some other wild animal. I can’t make out what it is, it’s so dark.”