"Something along the cat family, anyway," replied Frank.

"Look here! You don't mean to say it was--a panther?" demanded the other.

"I'm not saying anything; but in the morning we'll go and take a look at
the ground behind that second log over there. If there are any tracks,
they ought to tell the story," remarked Frank, who, no matter how
positive he might feel that this was just what he had seen, would not
commit himself without some proof.

"That's what I get for waking Frank up so soon. Oh! why didn't I hold out
a little while longer? Nothing ever happens when I'm on duty, it seems. I
must be a Jonah, that's what!" sighed Will disconsolately.

"Why, what would you have done?" demanded Bluff.

"Shot the intruder, but by snapping the trigger of my little flashlight
pistol, and in that way I'd have taken a picture of the beast as it
crouched there. I sat here, holding that pistol, and my camera, ready,
for two mortal hours, in vain. I'm the most unlucky dog going."

"Well, I notice that, after all, you manage to gather in your share of
pictures. The trouble is, you want to corral everything going. Well, me
to the bench again for another snooze. Wake me when you get tired of
sitting up, Frank. If the critter comes again, let him have a charge,"
said Jerry.

"I certainly will, if I can make sure that it doesn't happen to be a
man," was the reply of Frank.