At first sight the tree seemed a difficult one to climb, for there were no branches within twenty feet of the ground, and the trunk was too large for him to clasp. But close to it grew a slender spruce, and Arthur, leaving his pole and sack on the ground, had no trouble in "shinning" up the smaller tree; it was then easy to transfer himself to the hemlock's lowest branches. Some distance below the hawk's nest a large branch stretched out from the trunk, and now, when Arthur looked up at this branch, he saw what he had before failed to notice; along it lay a plump little animal, gray in color, and about as big as a house cat two-thirds grown. It looked at him stupidly, and did not move.
He thought it might be a young raccoon, or perhaps an opossum—his knowledge of Adirondack animals was not very accurate—and as it seemed so dull and meek he thought he would try to capture it. Near him a partly dead limb stood out from the trunk; this, after some trouble, he was able to break off, and then had a stout club in case any weapon was needed. In the mean while the little animal watched him over the edge of the big branch, but did not move. Arthur was now about twenty feet from the ground, the animal being six or eight feet above him. Of a sudden it seemed to grow interested in what was going on below, and putting its head over the side of the branch, gave a low whine. Instantly there was an answering whine from the ground.
A grayish catlike animal about as large as a spaniel-dog was crouching at the foot of the hemlock; as it looked up Arthur could see its yellow eyes shine angrily. Its shape and size made him think it was a lynx; and the conviction flashed upon him that the little animal on the branch above was the kitten of the savage-looking creature on the ground below. He was separating mother from child, and it was evident from her grim expression that the old lynx meant to call him to account for interfering with her domestic affairs.
With a reassuring cry to her kitten, the lynx sprang from the ground and began slowly to climb up the trunk of the hemlock.
Below the branches on which Arthur was sitting was the section of the trunk, twenty feet in length, that rose from the ground free of any branch, so that there was no vantage-ground from which the lynx could spring upon him as she came crawling up. He drew up his legs, clutched the club firmly, and got ready to do his best to beat her back; at the same time he shouted as loudly as he could, hoping that George would hear him.
His shouts and pounding on the tree made the animal hesitate, and when she was eight or ten feet below him she flattened herself against the bark and clung there, glaring up at him. What seemed a long time to Arthur, but was probably not more than ten minutes, passed, and yet she did not move. He kept up an almost continual shouting, for he hoped, as the two branches of the brook joined each other at an acute angle, that George was not far distant. The strain on his nerves was making him faint. As the lynx eyed him, he recalled stories of cats that had alarmed and captured their victims merely by looking at them; he trembled violently, and his shouts became weaker and weaker.
It was a relief when, in answer to an especially plaintive cry from her kitten, the lynx gave a low whine and began to creep upward, growling defiance as she came. The spell was broken, and Arthur felt his strength return. He raised his club and leaned forward; as the animal's round head came within reach he struck it a heavy blow. With a scream of pain the lynx shrunk back, and began watching him as before; every minute or two she snarled and growled—evidently the blow she had received had not improved her temper.
Arthur had just begun, with renewed vigor, to shout again, when there was an answering shout, and George appeared, running towards him through the woods. For a moment his joy in seeing a friend and possible rescuer made the frightened boy forget everything else.
"Arthur! Arthur! Where are you, and what's the matter?" cried George.
"Here I am, up in this tree! And, oh, George, look out! there's a lynx on the trunk just below me!"