Phil Blood strolled slow to his mates below,
down by the mountain track,
With his lips set tight, and his face all white,
and the Panther at his back.
I reckon they stared when the two appeared!
but never a word Phil spoke;
Some of them laughed and others jeered,—but
he let them have their joke;
He seemed amazed, like a man gone dazed, the
sun in his eyes too bright,