“I’m goin’ to find them animiles and see what’s th’ matter. Gol darn! I wouldn’t take uh fortune fer that wolf. He’s uh——”
“Man-sized pet,” finished Bantie with a grin, as he picked up the little gray kitten and snuggled it to his face. “Pore li’l kitty, did they scare yuh?”
“Scare——!” exploded Magpie. “I’ll bet—huh!”
He turned and followed Tellurium up the trail, and Bantie watched them with an expectant grin on his face. The trail led over a point of rocks above the creek and at that point there was a sheer drop of about fifteen feet to the water, which was about five feet in depth.
Magpie caught up with Tellurium at this place and they stopped to argue the question. Beyond them the trail curved sharply around another cliff of rocks.
Tellurium shoved his hands into his pockets and faced Magpie belligerently.
“It don’t stand to reason, Magpie, that uh house cat——”
His argument was cut off. The avalanche had returned.
Being as the two were occupying most of the trail there was no chance to avoid the shock. Tellurium had hold of Magpie’s arm and the two of them performed their aerial spin and dip of death as one person.
The chase had evidently turned as the wolf was in the lead and using all the power of its legs and voice to hold that lead. The bear was due to slow up or run over the wolf if the race continued for a hundred yards further.