Out with Gun and Camera Part 28

The boys had seen some traces of wild beasts up the mountain side, and thither they directed their steps, keeping their eyes and ears on the alert as they proceeded. They had scarcely covered a quarter of a mile when they came upon the mutilated remains of a mink.

"h.e.l.lo! what do you make of this?" cried Snap as he pointed it out.

"A mink, and some other wild beast killed it," said Whopper.

"Do you suppose it was a bear?" asked Snap.

"No; most likely a wildcat, or a big fox or wolf."

"Let's go after 'em!"

"They are no good for game---and that is what we are after."

"We might get some good photographs."

"That's so---I never thought of that!"

Filled with the idea of taking some pictures that might prove of value, the boys hurried on through the woods and up the side of the mountain. Shep cautioned the others to move as silently as possible, so hardly a word was said.

It was almost noon when they came to a flat spot, where there was something of a clearing. Here there was a spring and a pool, and a fallen tree lay across both.

"Wait!" whispered the doctor's son. "I think I see something!"

The others halted, and Shep advanced with increased caution, bringing his camera to the front as he did so.

The next instant he saw a sight that filled him with interest and pleasure. On the fallen tree spanning the pool rested two wildcats, mates, facing each other. Both had their eyes closed and were evidently asleep.

He motioned for the others to come up, and in a few seconds all were ready to take pictures. The background was perfect, and they felt this would be one of the finest subjects yet obtained.

Hardly daring to breathe, one after another of the boys clicked the shutter of his camera and the negatives were taken. Then they swung their cameras back and brought forward their shotguns.

As they did this one of the wildcats suddenly opened its eyes and looked around. On the instant it let out a cry of rage and its back commenced to bristle. Then the other wildcat leaped from the tree to the ground and crouched as if for a spring.

"Fire!" came the command from the doctor's son, but this was not necessary, for both Snap and Whopper blazed away as quickly as they could. The wildcat on the tree was. .h.i.t and fell over into the pool with a loud splash. The other wildcat made a leap for Snap and hit him in the shoulder.

"Shoot him! shoot him!" yelled Snap in terror, and did what he could to keep the beast from reaching his breast and throat.

"Can't shoot---might hit you!" answered the doctor's son, but then he came up on the side and blazed away at close quarters, hitting the wildcat in the left hind leg. This caused the animal to drop to the ground, where it twisted and turned so quickly that the eyes of the young hunters could scarcely follow it.

The other wildcat had by this time climbed out of the pool. It gave itself a vigorous shake and turned as if to limp away. But then it espied its mate and stopped, as if calculating on what to do next.

"Shoot 'em!" sang out Whopper, and discharged his gun a second time. He hit the second wildcat in the back, but the wounds were not serious and the beast still thrashed around, snapping and snarling in a fashion that would have frightened any hunter.

The shot from the gun awakened the fury of the first wildcat, and crouching low it came toward Whopper step by step, its two eyes glowing like tiny electric lights. Whopper tried to run, but he was fascinated by the sight and too much overcome to move a step.

"Look out, Whopper!" screamed Snap, and then he raised his own gun to take another shot. But the hammer merely clicked. He tried it again, in increased haste, and as a consequence shot wild, the charge going over the wildcat's head.

Then the wildcat made a leap, striking Whopper and hurling him over backward. As he went down the second wildcat lurched itself forward, and in a twinkling both were on the young hunter, snapping and snarling as though about to eat him up!

CHAPTER XIX

SOME UNLOOKED-FOR GAME

It was a moment of dire peril and no one realized it more than did the young hunter who had been attacked by the two wild beasts of the forest. Like a flash he rolled over and doubled up to prevent the wildcats from reaching his head and neck.

This quick movement sent the animals to the ground, and as they landed Snap jumped forward and struck one of the wildcats with the stock of his gun. It was a telling blow, for by luck more than judgment it crushed the beast's skull.

The attack on its mate caused the other wildcat to pause. Then, filled with a sudden fear, and failing to get at Whopper's throat, it commenced to retreat.

"It's running away!" shouted Snap. "Kill it, Shep!"

The doctor's son had been dancing around, trying to get in a shot without injuring Whopper.

Now he leveled his shotgun and banged away. It was a close-range hit, and the head of the wildcat was almost blown from the body.

It was several seconds before the three boy hunters realized that the battle was at an end. Slowly Whopper turned over and looked at the two dead animals. He rose to his feet, panting heavily.

"Are they bo---both dead?" he asked.

"As dead as nails," answered Snap.

"I thought I was---was going to be---be chewed up!"

"It was a narrow escape."

"Say, after this, do you know what I think? I think we had better kill the beasts first and take the pictures afterward!"

"Then we'll not have such good photos," returned the doctor's son.

"Yes; but what good are photos to a fellow if he gets killed?"

questioned Whopper ruefully.

"We'll have to be more careful, that's all," said Snap.

"What shall we do with the wildcats?"

"Leave them here, for all I care," answered the doctor's son.

"The skins are not much good at this time of year and after such handling."

The three boys rested for a while, and then took a picture of the dead wildcats with themselves in the background. So that all might get in the pictures they set their cameras on rocks and worked them by means of threads of black linen.

"I am afraid our shots have scared away all the game in this vicinity,"

remarked the doctor's son as they, trudged forward once more. And so it seemed, for nothing came into view for the next hour. Then Snap sighted some rabbits, but before he could get a shot the game was out of sight.

At noon they rested in a glade that commanded a fine view of the surrounding country and each of the boys took several time pictures with small lens openings, so as to get sharp outlines.