But Ruth ran out into the big kitchen and opened the door. The
outbuildings were not far away, but not a soul appeared about them.
There seemed to be a brooding silence over the whole place. The men
were so deep in the woods that she could not hear a sound from them;
nor was the ring of skates on the pond apparent to her ear.

"Come back, Ruth! come back!" begged her chum, who had followed her.
"Suppose that beast should be hiding near?"

"I don't suppose he's within a mile of the camp," said Ruth, her
voice unshaken. "There are all the guns in the hall--even the little
shotguns. I don't suppose the men have a gun with them, and of course
the boys have not. And both parties should be warned. I'm going----"

"Oh, Ruth! you're mad!" cried Helen. "You mustn't go."

"Who'll go, then?" demanded her friend. "I guess we're all equally
scared--Mrs. Murchiston and all."

"Nobody will go----"

"I'm going!" declared Ruth, firmly. "If the panther is coming from
that woman's house--the woman who telephoned--then the pond is in the
very opposite direction. I'll take Tom's rifle and some cartridges."

"But you don't know how to shoot!" cried Helen.

"We ought to know. It's a shame that girls don't learn to handle
guns just like boys. I'm going to get Long Jerry Todd to show me how."