United States or Central African Republic ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"I've no kick comin' agin the National Forests," said Bob-Cat, "we've always been treated white enough. Of course, there's always some soreheads who want to stampede the range and gets peevish when they're balked, but I guess the Service is a good thing all round. It don't appeal none to me, o' course.
"Bob-Cat was telling me," said Wilbur, as with the Ranger he rode through the arid and silvered grayness of the Mohave desert and reached the foothill country, "that before you entered the Service you were pretty well known as a hunter." "Wa'al, son," the mountaineer replied, "I reckon I've done some kind o' huntin' for fifty years on end. But there's not much huntin' in this part o' the country."
He had been dreadfully scared at first, doubtless under the impression that the mate to the dead bob-cat had invaded the camp, intent on revenge. This feeling soon gave way to the desire to see the camp saved, and he labored faithfully with the rest.
The boys in their surprise were unable to do more than stand and stare for the moment. That Chunky Brown had had the courage to attack a bob-cat, even though it already had been seriously wounded, passed all comprehension. "Stop!" commanded the Professor, finding his voice at last. Whack! Stacy landed a blow fairly on the top of the brute's skull, causing the animal to sway dizzily.
Of course he hasn't any honor. There hasn't been any honor in Yowler's family since old Mr. Bob-cat, the first of all the Bob-cats, left his honor in Turkey Wood, way back in the days when the world was young, and failed to get it again. Honor! Of course Yowler hasn't any. What could you expect?" At once Peter was all ears. "I've never heard about that," said he. "Tell me about it, Mrs. Grouse.
"Did you have any trouble, Ben?" asked Wilbur. "One little fire, walk, walk, walk away into the woods. But I stopped him." "Alone?" The half-witted lad nodded. Then, coming over to Wilbur, he pointed to the rude bandages and said questioningly: "Tumble?" "No, Ben," replied the other boy, "I got into a mix-up with a bob-cat." "I fight, too. Wait, I show you something."
If I left you here you might get into more difficulties, even, than your friend has. No; we'll go back together. It is doubtful if we could do anything for poor Master Walter now. No human being could go over that cliff and still be alive. A bob-cat might do it, but not a man or a boy," announced the guide, with a note of finality in his tone.
"I'd have been as dead as Chunky's bob-cat if the stone had hit me fairly," muttered the boy. "Anyway, I've got a chunk of something that looks a good deal like gold, in my pocket," he added. Deciding to say nothing about his recent experience to his companions, Tad strolled slowly toward camp.
The years since that day when the saucy little girl had called me a big, brown, bob-cat here came back upon my mind, and, though my hope had vanished, still I loved the old church. Before we had passed the doorway Eloise left her wagon and stood beside my horse. "Gail, let us stop here with Father Josef while the others go down to Felix Narveo's. It always seems so peaceful here."
And from that fear has grown hate. You will find it true all through life that hate often springs from great fear. Peter isn't much given to hate, but he does hate Yowler the Bob-cat. It is partly because of his fear of Yowler, but it is still more because he feels that Yowler is not fair in his hunting. He has no honor.
Word Of The Day