Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-10-28
CHAPTER VIlI.-continued.

leslie faced an unpleasant situation.
CHAPTER vIlI.-Continued
They'll be dry In a day or two.
Say. Winthrope, you might fetch some
OF those stones-size of ball. l used
to be fancy pitcher when l was a
kid. and we might scare up a rabbit or
something"
II play cricket myself. But these
stones"
"Bettern a gun. when you haven't
got the gun. Come on. Well go in n
bunch, after all, in case | need stones"
With due consideration for Win
thropes ankle-not for Winthrope-
Blake set so slow a pace that the half
miles walk consumed over half an
hour. But his smouldering irritation
was soon quenched when they drew
near the green thicket at the foot of
the cleft. In the almost deathlike
stiffness of mid-afternoon, the sound
of trlckling water came to their ears,
clear and musical.
"a spring." shouted Blake. "I
guessed right Look at those green
plants and grass; there's the channel
where 1t runs out in the sand and
dries up
The others followed him eagerly as
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 pool some ten
yards across, and overshadowed by the
surrounding trees. There was no
underbrush and the ground was
trampled bare as 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 uncover the brooke"
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 wait a few
itself. We've got to go up anyway, to
get at our poultry yard!"
Here's a place that 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 ledges be-
meath the ove-arching thickets.
"Odd place, is it not?" observed
Winthrope. Looks like a fox rum
only larger. you know"
TOO low for deer, though-and
their hoofs would have cut up the
moss and ferns more. Let's get a
close look"
AS he spoke, Blake stopped and
climbed 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 it, when, directly
beneath his nose, he saw the print of
great catlike paw, outlined in dried
mud At the same instant a 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 glanc2s filled his companions
with vague terror. He himself was
hardly less alarmed
10 nF tIA i,,tD
ne exclaimed in 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 ant
broke into a run. In their terror they
paid no heed to Blake's command tC
stop. They had darted off so unex
pectedIy that he did not oyertake then
short of 100 yards
Hold on!" he said, gripping Win
thrope roughly by the shoulder. 1T!
safe enough here, and you'll knock ou
that blamed ankle"
What is It? What did you see?'
gasped Miss Leslie.
Footprint" mumbed Blake, ashamet
of his fright.
"A lion's?" cried Winthrope.
mot so largs-'bout the size OF
puma'g Must be leopards den u