He bumped into stumps and the trunks of trees. His feet became entangled in vines and, tripping, he fell. He stepped into mud puddles of cold water. All in all, poor Ted was quite miserable.
Now and then he heard a rustling in the tree branches overhead, and he felt sure the bobcat was following him, waiting for a chance to drop down on him and bite or scratch.
“I’m going to yell!” decided Teddy. “Maybe that will scare that bobcat.”
And yell he did as loudly as he could. He not only wanted to scare away the bobcat, if one was really chasing him in the tree tops, but Ted also wanted to let those who might be searching for him, know where he was.
Again and again Ted cried, sending his ringing voice out in the darkness of the forest.
Had those who were searching for him only been near enough they would surely have heard him and come to his rescue. There were two rescue parties out, as I have told you. Mr. Martin led one and Tod Everett, the foreman of the lumber gang, led the other.
Mrs. Martin remained at home in the bungalow with Janet, Trouble and Lucy. They were much frightened and worried, and more than once Janet would listen for any sound outside the cabin and then she would ask:
“Do you think they’ll find Teddy, Mother?”
“Of course they will,” would be the answer.
“When?” Janet would ask.