The Washington herald., 1915-10-03
1reached over and drove the knife into him

fore failed to notice; along it lay plump
little animal, gray in color. and abou,
as big as q house cat two-thirds grown
1t looked at him stupidly. and did not
move.
He thought it might be q young rae
coon. or perhaps as opossum. and as ii
seemed so dull and meek he thought he
would try to capture it. Near him a
partly dead limb stood out from the
trunk. This. after some trouble. he was
able to break of, and then had stout
club in case any weapon was needed. In
the meantime the little animal watched
him over the edge of the big branch.
but did not move. Arthur was now about
twenty feet from the, ground. the animal
being six or eight feet above him. OF
a sudden it seemed to grow interested in
what was going on below. and putting
its head over the side Of the branch.
gave a low whine. Instantly there was
an answering whine from the ground.
A grayish catlike animal about as
large os a spaniel-dog was crouchins
at the foot of the hemlock. AS it
looked up Arthur could see its yellow
eyes shine angrily. Its shape and :ize
made him think it was a lynx: and the
conviction flashed upon him that the
little animal on the branch above was
the kitten Of the savage-lookInz creature
on the ground below.
With a reassuring cry to her kitten.
the lynx sprang fror, the ground and
began slowly to climb up the trunk Of
the hemlock.
Arthur drew up his legs. clutched the
club firmly and got ready to do his best
to beat her back. At the same TIME he
shouted as loudly as he could. hoping
that George would hear him.
His shouts and pounding on the tree
made the animal hesitate. and when she
was eight or ten feet below him she nat
tened herself against the bark and clung
there. glaring up at him. What seemed
a long time to Arthur. but was probably
not more than ten minutes. passed, and
vet she did not move. He kept up an
almost continual shouting. for he hoped.
as the two branches OF the brook Joined
each other at an acute angle. that
George was not far distant The strain
on his nerves was making him faint
In answer to an especially plaintive
CIV from her kitten. the lynx gave
low whine and began to creep upward.
xrowling defiance as she came. Arthur
raised his club and leaned forward. As
the animals round head came within
reach he struck it a heavy blow. With
scream of pain the lynx shrunk back. and
began watching him as before: Every
minute or two she snarled and srowled.
Arthur had Just begun. with renewed
vigor, to shout again, when there was
an answering shout. and George appear
sd. running toward him through the
woods. For a moment his Joy In seeing
q friend and possible rescuer made Ar
thur forget everything else.
arthur! Artl 49, Where are you. and
what's the matt. Z" cried George.
Here I am. up in this tree! And
Georxe, look out! There's lynx on the
trunk just below me!
The warning came late. George was
already on the bank Of the pool. and only
q few yards from the hemlock- The lynx
saw him, and finding another enemy In
her rear, she turned as If to attack
him.
George had only the briefest instant
in which to grasp the situation and act.
He turned and sprang into the pool. and
plunged to its csntsr. There he could
barely touch bottom
The animal did not follow. Like all
the cat tribe, . lynx dislikss and fears
tha water. She cirelsd about the pool.