"Christopher!" exclaimed Nat. "Is it a wildcat?"
"A wolf, perhaps!" chimed in Sam Randall, excitedly, straining his eyes to pierce the gloom.
The boys were thoroughly startled, but in a moment each had seized his gun, and stood ready for any emergency.
The cries continued—a steady succession of blood-curdling sounds which made the group of boys look at each other in wonder and alarm.
Bowser began to whine, and utter short, doleful barks; then threw himself on the ground, apparently in great fear.
"Never heard no four-legged critter make sich sounds as them," said Tim Sladder, in awed tones.
"An' it certainly isn't no humans," broke in Musgrove, in a voice that he vainly tried to control.
The cries ceased as suddenly as they had begun.
"My eye! It couldn't have been a wildcat," declared John Hackett.
"And it certainly wasn't a wolf," cried Bob.