But the effort
availed nothing.
Presently he heard something that caused him to rouse up. It was
the sound of a shotgun, discharged at a distance.
"They must be out---perhaps they are looking for me!" he murmured.
"I hope they come here!" And he breathed a silent prayer that they
might not pass him by in his sore distress.
A little later he heard a curious scratching at the top of the
hollow. He strained his eyes and saw a bushy tail swishing around.
"A wild animal!" he thought. "Will it come down on top of me?"
He gave a low call and the animal disappeared. But then, after a
period of several minutes, it came back again and this time looked
down into the hollow tree, longingly.
"A wildcat!"
Shep was right; it was indeed wildcat that had come to pay him
a visit, and the beast seemed to be in anything but a good humor
as it glared down upon the imprisoned young hunter.
Would the beast spring down upon him? That was the question Shep
asked himself. As quickly as he could he raised his hand which
contained his jack-knife.
"Scat!" he hissed, and, alarmed once more, the wildcat backed away
from the hollow and sat down on a limb of the tree to think matters
over.
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