"It's not so bad. He hasn't got in yet."

But Rose ran to the door, and then she made another discovery that
added to her fright. The door could not be opened! The spring lock on
the outside had snapped and there was no way of springing the bolt from
inside the shack.

"Now see what we've done!" she wailed. "Russ Bunker! we are shut into
the place, and can't get out, and that thing will come down and claw us
all to pieces."

With this Rose cast herself upon the ground and could not be comforted.
In fact, at the moment, Russ could not think of a word to say that would
comfort his sister. He was just as much frightened as Rose was.




CHAPTER XXV

THAT PIGEON WING


Greatly as the two little Bunkers were alarmed, and as much as their
father and Mr. Armatage worried about their safety, they really were not
so very badly off. Not only were the roof boards of the hut in which
Russ and Rose had taken refuge sound, but soon the panther stopped
clawing at the boards.