He had been some distance ahead of the animal, and when it ran up to the edge of the clearing Bert had several snowballs ready.
“Come on now! See how you like that!” cried the boy. He threw one snowball “bullet,” but he was so excited that it went high over the head of the bobcat. The next one struck in the snow at the feet of the animal. But the third one hit it right on the nose!
“Good shot!” cried Bert.
The wildcat uttered a snarl and a growl, and stopped for a moment. Perhaps it had never before chased anyone who threw snowballs.
“Have another!” cried Bert, and the next white bullet struck it on the side. The bobcat leaped up in the air, and then Bert threw another ball which hit it on the head.
This was too much for the creature. With a loud howl it turned and ran back into the woods, and Bert breathed easier.
“Well, I guess as long as I can throw snowballs you won’t get me,” he said to himself, as he picked up the package of lunch and hurried on.
CHAPTER XXI—ON THE ROCK
Bert Bobbsey felt very proud of himself after he had driven away the wildcat with snowballs. And I think he had a right to be proud. Not many boys of his age would have dared to stand and await the oncoming of a beast that is quite dangerous once it starts to claw and bite. But Bert had spent so much time in the woods and out in the open that he was very self-reliant.
And so, after looking back once or twice as he left the clearing, and finding that the bobcat did not follow, Bert began to feel much better.