The Banner Boy Scouts Snowbound Part 22

The two scouts moved along slowly, always on the alert. Paul kept the light going back and forth constantly, hoping that it might impress the bold bobcats with a sense of caution. Most wild animals are afraid of fire, and as a rule there is no better protection for the pedestrian when pa.s.sing through the lonely woods than to have a blazing torch in his hand, with l.u.s.ty lungs to shout occasionally.

"Hold on!" exclaimed Jud, after a short time had elapsed.

"What do you see now, another owl?" asked Paul, trying to make light of the situation, though truth to tell he felt a bit nervous.

"This isn't any old owl, Paul," a.s.serted the boy with the gun.

"Besides the glaring eyes, I can see his body on that limb we must pa.s.s under. Look yourself and tell me if that isn't his tail twitching back and forth?"

"Just what it is, Jud. I've seen our tabby cat do that when crouching to spring on a sparrow. The beast is ready to jump as soon as we come within range. Are you covering him, Jud?"

"Dead center. Trust me to damage his hide for him. Shall I shoot?"

"Use only one barrel, mind, Jud. You may need the other later on. Now, if you're all ready, let go!"

There was a loud bang as Jud pulled the trigger. Mingled with the report was a shrill scream of agony. Then something came flying through the air from an entirely different quarter.

"Look out! The second cat!" yelled Paul, striking savagely with his hatchet, which struck against a flying body, and hurled it backward in a heap.

The furious wildcat instantly recovered, and again a.s.sailed the two boys standing on the defensive. Jud had clubbed his gun, for at such close quarters he did not think he could shoot with any degree of accuracy.

Indeed, for some little time that beast kept both of them on the alert, and more than once sharp claws came in contact with the tough khaki garments worn by the scouts.

After a third furious onslaught which ended in the cat's being knocked over by a lucky stroke from Jud's gunstock, the animal seemed to conclude that the combat was too unequal. That last blow must have partly tamed its fiery spirit, for it jumped back out of sight, though they could still hear its savage snarling from some point near by.

Both lads were panting for breath. At the same time they felt flushed with victory. It was not every scout who could meet with such an adventure as this when in the snowy forest, and come out of it with credit.

"If he only lets me get a glimpse of his old hide," ventured Jud, grimly, "I'll riddle it for him, let me tell you! But say! I hope you don't mean to evacuate this gory battle-ground without taking a look to see whether I dropped that other beast or not?"

"Of course not, Jud! I'm a little curious myself to see whether your aim was as good as you believe. Let's move over that way, always keeping ready to repel boarders, remember. That second cat may get his wind, and come for us again."

"I hope he will, that's what!" said Jud, whose fighting blood was now up. "I dare him to tackle us again. Nothing would please me better, Paul."

A dozen paces took them to the vicinity of the tree in which Jud had sighted the crouching beast at which he had fired.

"Got him, all right, Paul!" he hastened to call out, with a vein of triumph in his excited voice. "He fell in a heap, and considering that there were twelve buckshot in that sh.e.l.l, and every one hit him, it isn't to be wondered at."

"A pretty big bobcat in the bargain, Jud, and well worth boasting over. Look at his long claws, and the sharp teeth back of those short lips. An ugly customer let me tell you. I'm glad we didn't have him on our shoulders, that's all."

"I'm bound to drag the creature all the way to the cabin, to show the boys," announced the successful marksman. "Now don't say anything against it, Paul. You see I'll hold my gun under my arm ready, and at the first sign of trouble I'll let go of the game and be ready to shoot."

"That's all right, Jud, you're ent.i.tled to your trophy, though the skin is pretty well riddled with that big hole through it. Still, Tolly Tip may be able to cure it so as to make a mat for your den at home. Let's be moving."

They could still hear that low and ominous growling and snarling.

Sometimes it came from one side, and then again switched around to the other, as the angry cat tried to find an avenue that would appear to be undefended.

Every step of the way home they felt they were being watched by a pair of fiery eyes. Not for a second did either of the boys dream of abating their vigilance, for the sagacity of the wildcat would enable him to know when to make the attack.

Indeed, several times Jud dropped his trailing burden and half raised his gun, as he imagined he detected a suspicious movement somewhere close by. They proved to be false alarms, however, and nothing occurred on the way home to disturb them.

When not far from the cabin they heard loud voices, and caught the flicker of several blazing torches amidst the trees.

"It's Tolly Tip and the boys," announced Paul, as soon as he caught the sounds and saw the moving lights. "They must have heard the gunshot and our shouts, and are coming this way to find out what's the trouble."

A few minutes later they saw half a dozen hurrying figures approaching, several carrying guns. As the anxious ones discovered Paul and Jud they sent out a series of whoops which the returning scouts answered. And when those who had come from the cabin saw the dead bobcat, as well as listened to the story of the attack, they were loud in their praises of the valor of the adventurous pair.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE BLIZZARD

"Whew! but it's bitter cold this morning!" shouted Sandy Griggs, as he opened the cabin door and thrust his head out.

"Looks like a few flakes of snow shooting past, in the bargain," added Bobolink. "That means that the long expected storm is upon us."

Paul turned to Jack at hearing this, for both of them were hurriedly dressing after crawling out of their comfortable bunks.

"A little snow isn't going to make us hedge on that arrangement we made the last thing before turning in, I hope, Jack?" he asked, smilingly.

"I should say not!" came the prompt reply. "Besides, if it's going to put a foot or two of the feathery on the ground, it strikes me you've just got to get that expensive camera of yours again. I'm with you, Paul, right after breakfast."

Tolly Tip was also in somewhat of a hurry, wis.h.i.+ng to make the round of his line of traps before the storm fully set in.

So it came about that Paul and his closest chum, after a cup of hot coffee and a meagre breakfast, hurried away from the cabin.

"We can get another batch when we come back, if they save any for us, you know," the scout-master remarked, as they opened the door and pa.s.sed out.

"Kape your bearin's, lads," called the old woodsman. "If so be the storm comes along with a boom it'll puzzle ye to be sure av yer way.

And by the same token, to be adrift in thim woods with a howler blowin' for thray days isn't any fun."

When the scouts once got started they found that the air was particularly keen. Both of them were glad they had taken the precaution to cover up their ears, and wear their warmest mittens.

"Something seems to tell me we're in for a regular blizzard this time," Jack remarked as they trudged manfully along, at times bowing their heads to the bitter wind that seemed to cut like a knife.

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that turned out to be true," Paul contented himself with saying.

They did not exchange many words while breasting the gale, for it was the part of wisdom to keep their mouths closed as much as possible.

Paul had taken note of the way to the spot where the camera trap had been set in the hope of catching Bruin in the act of taking the sweet bait.

A number of times he turned around and looked back. This was because he had accustomed himself to viewing his surroundings at various angles, which is a wise thing for a scout to do. Then when he tries to retrace his steps he will not find himself looking at a reverse picture that seems unfamiliar in his eyes.

In the course of time the boys arrived at their destination.

"Don't see anything upset around here," observed Paul, with a shade of growing disappointment in his voice; and then almost instantly adding in excitement: "But the bait's gone, all right--and yes! the cartridge has been fired. Good enough!"

"Here you can see faint signs of the tracks of the bear under this new coating of snow!" declared Jack, pointing down at his feet.