, 1909-01-07
Of trickling water came 10 their ears.

oAahO. L
guessed right Look at those green
plants and grass; there's the channel
where 1t runs out In the sane and
dries up"
The others followed him eagerly az
he pushed in among the trees. They
saw no running water, for the tiny
rill that trickled down the lodges was
matted over with vines. But at the
foot of the slope lay a pool, some ten
yards across. and overshadowed by tho
surrounding trees. There was no
underbrush, and the ground was
trampled bare as a floor.
by Jove." said winthrope; see the
tracks! There must have been a drove
of sheep about"
Deer, you mean" replied Blake,
bending to examine the deeper prints
at the edge of the pool. These Amt
sheep tracks. A lot Of them are
larger"
Gould you not the brook
asked Miss Leslie. "If animals have
been drinking here, one would prefer
cleaner water"
Sure" assented Blake. IF you're
game for a climb, and can walt a few
minutes, we'll get 1t out Of the spring
itself. We've got to go up anyway, to
get at poultry yard!"
Here a place hat looks like a
path" called Winthrope, who had cir
cled about the edge of the pool to the
farther side.
Blake ran around beside him and
stared at the tunnel-like passage which
wound up the limestone lodges be-
meath the overarching thickets.
odd place. is 1t not?" observed
Winthrope. Looks like a fox run.
only larger. you know"
Too low for deer, though-and
their hoofs would have u up the
moss and ferns more. Let's get a
close look"
AS he spoke, Blake stopped and
climbed a few yards up the trail to an
~overhanging ledge. four or five feet
high. Where the trail ran up over
this break in the slope the stone was
bare of all vegetation. Blake laid his
club on the top of the ledge. and was
about to vault after 1t, when. directly
beneath his nose, he saw the print Of
a great catlike paw. outlined in dried
mud. At the same instant q deep
growl came rumbling down the fox
run Without waiting for a second
warning. Blake drew his club to him.
and crept back down the trail. His
stealthy movements and furtive back
ward g%lances filled his companions
with vague terror. He himself was
hardly less alarmed.
Get out of the trees-into the open!"
he exclaimed in a hoarse whisper, and
as they crept away. white with dread
of the unknown danger, he followed at
their heels. looking backward, his club
raised in readiness to strike.
Once clear of the trees, Winthrope
caught Miss Leslie by the hand and
broke into a run. In their terror they
paid no heed to Blake's command to
stop. They had darted of so unex-
pectedly that he did not overtake them
short of 100 yards.
Hold on!" he said, gripping Win
thrope roughly by the shoulder. ITS
safe enough here. and you'll knock out
that blamed ankle"
What is it? What did you see?"
gasped Miss Leslie.
Footprint" mumbled Blake, ashamed
of his fright.
"A lion's?" cried Winthrope.
mot SO large-'bout the size Of q
puma's. Must be a leopard's den up
there. l heard a growl, and thought it
about time to clear out"
by Jove, we'd better withdraw
around the point!"
withdraw your aunty! There's no
leopard going to tackle US out here In
open ground this time Of day. The
sneaking tomcat! II only I had a
match, I'd show him how we smoke
rat holes"
"Mr. winthrope spoke Of rubbing
sticks to make fire." suggested Miss
Leslie.
Make sweat, you mean. But we
may as well try 1t now. II we're going
to at all. The suns hot enough to fry
eggs. Wen 60 back to . shady place
and pick up sticks on the way"
Though there was snaue unucr tue
cliff within some 600 feet. they had
to 20 some distance to the nearest dry
wood-a dead thornbush. Here they
gathered a quantity Of branches. even
Miss Leslie volunteering to carry .
load.
All was thrown down In . heap near
the cliff, and Blake squatted beside 1t.
penknife in hand. Having selected the
dryest Of the larger sticks. he bored q
hole in one side and dropped In q
pinch Of powdered bark. Laying the
stick In the full glare Of the sun, he
thrust a twig into the hole and began
to twirl it between his palms. This
movement he kept up for evera min
utes; but whether he was unable 70
twirl the twig fast enough or whether
the right kind Of wood or finder was
lacking all his efforts failed to pro