“Where at in the tree?” demanded Frank, ready to examine into anything that happened to come before their attention, no matter how odd.
“Say just where that gaping hole lies—about ten feet up. The blame thing’s hollow, that’s a cinch, and some critter’s got a nest in it. Maybe an owl, but I’d rather believe ’twas a cat, or perhaps a real b’ar. Looky, there she is again!”
Each of them had his eyes glued upon the spot indicated in his low-toned communication by the ex-cowboy. There certainly was something moving, for while the light was not very strong at that particular place, still they could see an object projected from the gap.
Quickly it pushed farther out, and there dawned upon their startled vision the same ape-like creature that had terrorized the camp of Pet Peters’ crowd on the previous night. It seemed, as near as they could judge in that uncertain light, to be covered with hair, just as a chimpanzee would be, and its face was in keeping with the remainder of its hideous form.
Bluff and Tom crouched there and shivered as they watched this awesome figure scramble down from its perch by the aid of the broken dead limbs. It dropped lightly on the ground with a grunt, and then scurried off through the undergrowth.
Tom gave a sigh of relief.
“It’s gone, and I’m mighty near the stampedin’ point myself,” he admitted.
“Why, it was that wild man, as sure as fate. Oh! how Will must carry on when he knows I had such a glorious chance to get him, and lacked the nerve,” whispered Bluff, still shaking with excitement, or something else.
“It’s just as good you didn’t,” snickered Frank; “for the sound would have betrayed us to the chaps in the cabin.”
“You seem to be tickled about something—suppose you tell a fellow what you see funny about that awful monster? I’d like to laugh too, but I declare if my lips ain’t frozen stiff. Is it a wild man, or a beast? Why, I tell you his body is covered with reddish hair, and his face, will I ever get it out of my mind?”