"Mine'll be ready in a minute," said Corry. "Quick now, Port!"
"Hold on," said the deacon. "We must all have a share in the fun, if there is any."
It seemed to Susie and Pen that they could hardly wait for those two guns to be loaded; and Mrs. Stebbins exclaimed,—
"Judith, I do hate a gun; but I'm a-goin' with 'em. Ain't you?"
"Course I am. Just hark to that there dog!"
He must have shared in the general impatience, to judge by the noise he was making; and now there came another and a very curious kind of sound from that direction.
"It's a baby crying," said Pen.
"Or a cat," began Port.
"Sakes alive!" exclaimed Mrs. Stebbins. "I do believe the critter's gone and treed a wildcat."
"I guess that's it," said the deacon.