for a moment as he saw the look of disapproval in Wabigoon's eyes,
and then went on. "I don't mean to hint that he stretched his story
purposely. He was standing on the mountain top. Suddenly there came a
flash of fire, the report of a rifle, and a bullet zipped close to his
head. And at that same instant, or a moment later--well, you remember
the scream of the lynx!"

"You believe that it might have been a lynx, startled by the shot, and
sent screaming across the plain?"

"Yes."

"Impossible. At the sound of that shot a lynx would have remained as
still as death!"

"Still there are always exceptions," persisted the white youth.

"Not in the case of lynx," declared Wabigoon. "No animal made those
cries. Mukoki is as fearless as a lion. The cry of a lynx would have
stirred his blood with pleasure instead of fear. Whatever the sounds
were they turned Mukoki's blood into water. They made him a coward,
and he ran, ran, mind you! until he got back to us! Is that like
Mukoki? I tell you the cries--"

"What?"

"Were something very unusual," finished Wabigoon quietly, rising to
his feet "Perhaps we will find out more to-morrow. As it is, I believe
we had better stand guard in camp to-night. I will go to bed now and
you can awaken me after a while."