knew that ordinarily they would not attack human beings. Two little
children lost in the woods in which a panther was roaming up and down
was, however, a fearful thing.

"Get a gun and the hands!" exclaimed Mr. Bunker. "If Russ and Rose have
mistaken the way home, and are in that timber, they may be in peril."

Mr. Armatage started off on a run for the quarters. He knew that some of
his hands had guns, and the quarters were nearer than the big house.

Daddy Bunker, although he was unarmed, started directly into the woods,
trying to mark his course by the repeated screams of the hungry panther.
He might have been lost himself, for there was not much light to mark
the way; but Daddy Bunker could judge the situation of the screaming
panther much better than Russ and Rose had been able to.

He hurried on, gripping a good-sized club that he had found. But, of
course, he knew better than to attack a panther with a club. He might
throw the stick at the animal, however, and frighten it away.

Russ and Rose had gone a long way into the thicket. The panther did not
scream often. So Daddy Bunker did not make much progress in the right
direction. By and by he had to stop and wait for help, or for the
panther to scream again.

He heard finally many voices at the edge of the thicket. Then he began
to see the blaze of torches. A party of colored people--men and
boys--with torches and guns, followed Mr. Armatage.

In addition, all the hunting dogs on the plantation were scouring the