Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

streaming far away across the valley
and beyond Hagersville; though it was al
| ready beginning to grow dusk among the
tall trees on the lower eastern slope of Dodds
Hill. That subtle instinct which seldom
fails to warn a growing boy when it is supper
time had whispered to Ted Carpenter, and
he was making in the direction of home at
good rate.
Without the least warning, there came
| from some dense bushes little behind him
and somewhat farther up the slope most
unearthly series of yells, squalls, and cater
wauls. Ted stopped instantly, and stoop-
ing down peered among the trees in the di-
rection of the disturbance. Several things
flashed into his mind The first was that
there were wildcats around Dodds Hill. His
brother Charlie had been talking about
them only that morning.
Ted had never heard wildcat; but this
sounded remarkably like the noise he should
have expected a wildcat to make. The sec
ond thought that came to Ted's mind was
that wildcats would never hurt anyone if
they were let alone Charlie had tried to
represent that they were very dangerous;
but his mother had assured him that it was
not true. But somehow, here in the shadow
of Dodds Hill, with wildcat actually at
hand, Charles assertion seemed the more
reasonable.
The uproar continued Then there was
cracking of dry twigs and movement of
the bushes. Clearly, Charlie was right, and
his mother was wrong. Home was a safer
place. Ted turned about and started.
There was tremendous crash in the bushes
and yowl that ended in bloodcurdling
scream. That was enough. Ted broke into
a trot. The trot suggested run, and moth
ing seemed SO natural as to increase the rate
of this, even after the disquieting sounds in
the bushes had been left behind. The result
was that Ted got over the scant half-m1le
in considerably less time than he had ever
covered it before.
TED tried to enter the dining room, where
the family we're at supper, in a COM
posed manner; but his excitement betrayed
him.
"Wildcatsi" answered Ted. somewhat
short of breath. 4More'n fifty of 'em, l
guess. They"
Didn't you count them?" interrupted
Mr.. Carpenter.
81 couldn't see em. There must have
been more'n one, anyway. They made an
awful noise. Why, you thought Old Stripes
made noise that night you threw the boot
heard these! Forty times louder-and
wOrse!"
At this, Old Stripes, the faithful family
cat, hearing his name mentioned, got up
from the corner, and stood looking, gravely
waving his tail and displaying his tiger
marked Sides
fright up on the slope of Dodds Hill,
above the three birches,' went on Ted, pay
ing no attention to the cat. II was coming
along, and Hello, Charlie!" he broke off as
his older brother came in.
"Why, Charlie, what's the matter?" asked
his mother
The boys jaws were tightly closed, and he
seemed to be struggling with some emotion
that it was difficult to control. Then it got
beyond him, and as he slipped into his chair
he burst out with shout of laughter that
shook the table.
Ted looked at him in panied surprise.
Then suddenly he REDEEMED and said,
"Charlie, was that you? l believe it was
you, YOU"
Just what he considered Charlie to
be was never known, because that young
person broke out into even louder laugh
ter.
"Well, anyhow" went on Ted when at
last the other became quiet, "you'd been
scared too If YOU heard such a noise ont