bargain," commented Touch-and-go Steve, gloomily; "it'd be just like
their meanness."

"Well, that would have been so barefaced that of course the whole town
would have been up in arms, and somebody might tell on them, which'd
mean that Ted would be sent away to the reform school for a time," Max
explained.

By degrees the boys began to settle down again. Owen was the first to
drop back into the comfortable position he had occupied at the time that
weird screech first shocked them, and brought about a sudden rising up.

Max managed to possess himself of his gun, and then Steve, quieting
down, followed the example of his campmates, by picking out a good place
near the crackling blaze, where he could hug his knees, and stare
gloomily into the fire.

For some little time the boys exhibited a degree of nervous tension. It
was as though they half expected that awful cry to be repeated, or some
other event come to pass. But as the minutes glided by without anything
unusual happening, by slow degrees their confidence returned, and
finally they were chatting at as lively a rate as before the alarm.

All sorts of speculations were indulged in concerning the possible
character of the origin of the sound. Bandy-legs in particular was
forever springing questions on Max as to what he thought it could have
been, if not one of that Shafter crowd.

"Do they have real panthers around here, Max?" he asked suddenly.