"It's a panther, ain't it?" whispered Ned shakily. "And can't they climb?"
"Yep," replied Tom briefly, fussing over the old gun. "Say, crawl over to the ladder, Ned, and knock it down somehow, can't you, while I load the gun. Quick! Don't be scared. I'll fire before you get there."
"S'pose it climbs up before I get there?" hissed Ned shakily, not liking the job very well.
"It won't—not if you hurry. Go now, now, Ned, quick!" ordered Tom.
Meantime, the panther still crouched at the foot of the ladder, staring up at the boys with its wicked yellow eyes, evidently making up its mind to climb into the loft. Cautiously Ned began to creep over the beams to the ladder. Oh, if he could only reach it in time! Would Tom never get the gun loaded and fire? What if a beam should slip, and let him down below? Ned lay out flat upon the shaking beam; he succeeded in reaching the top of the ladder, then, putting all his strength into his arms, he gave it a swift shove, and it fell below with a crash. Just then the old gun rang out; the kick which it gave sent Tom sprawling backward into the hay. As Tom hoped, he had shot the beast; the panther gave another yell. Before the smoke cleared Tom missed Ned; at the same time he heard a faint call. But from where? Where had Ned vanished? Could it be that he had fallen down through the shaking beams to the floor below with the panther?
"Quick, Tom, help, help!" called Ned. "I can't hold on any longer; my wrist's hurt." Then Tom saw what had really happened. Ned had slipped through the timbers and hung down below the loft, clinging to a beam with his hands. If he let go, he would fall to the floor below. So, leaping like a cat over the shaking beams, Tom had soon pulled Ned up on to the platform.
"Gee, that was a close shave, all right," grunted Tom, quickly reloading the gun, while Ned bade him hurry, for he just knew the panther would jump into the loft. "He don't have to wait for any ladder to climb up here."
Right across a wide streak of moonlight crept the panther, and then Tom, aiming for its gleaming eyes, fired the old gun again.
"Don't miss him this time, Tom," warned Ned tensely, "or he'll get us."
"Bang!" The trusty gun rang out once more, and the boys distinctly heard the sounds of a wild scuffling down upon the old, loose flooring below.