Dorothy’s cheerfulness had its limits. As they huddled there in the shelter of the overhanging boulder, the night seemed to drop down upon them, and Tavia hid her eyes against Dorothy’s shoulder. With their arms about each other they remained speechless for a while, and then both girls must have dozed.
Suddenly Tavia tightened her grip upon her chum and uttered a terrified gasp. It awoke Dorothy—her eyes opened wide. Tavia was pointing straight out into the darkness before them, and she was trembling hysterically.
The fire had died down to a little bed of embers, but one stick laid across the coals suddenly snapped in two and the ends burst into flame.
The flickering light glittered upon two bright spots which were seemingly across the glade, just at the edge of the forest.
Without a word passing between them the terrified girls knew what those sparkling objects were. The firelight was reflected in the eyes of some beast which was staring fixedly at them!
CHAPTER XXI
DOROTHY’S COURAGE
Not a sound did the prowling animal make, but its very silence seemed to add to the terrifying effect it had upon Dorothy Dale and her chum.
As the feeble flames rose and fell, so the reflected glare of the eyes increased and decreased. The pitiless, unwinking orbs displayed the savage intent of the beast.
For half a minute Dorothy was helpless, as was her chum. She had not partaken of Tavia’s panic before; she had really scouted the idea that savage animals roamed these woods. But she must believe now!