idea of hunting; and the season for game was not on as yet, either, even
in this northern country; though Giraffe, who owned the gun, had fetched
it in the hope that they might be forgiven if they knocked over a few
wild ducks, should their rations run low.

"I didn't wait to ask," stammered Davy, "fact is, boys, I didn't really
see the terrible beast at all, only his big yellow eyes!"

"Oh! is that so, Davy?" exclaimed Thad, turning to give Allan a wink, as
much as to let him understand that the truth would soon be coming now.

"But see here," Step Hen wanted to know; "however was you agoin' to see
his eyes and not glimpse the panther himself; that's a thing you've got
to explain, Davy Jones."

The other bent a look of commiseration on the speaker.

"What's the answer to that?" he went on to say, recovering his voice
more and more with each passing second, now that his personal safety
seemed assured; "I'll tell you, Step Hen. You see, there's a big
yawning gap in the tree up there, as black inside as your hat after
night. And when I just happened to look that way what did I see but a
pair of round yellow eyes astaring straight at me! Guess I've seen a
panther, and I ought to know how his eyes look in the dark--just like
you've seen the old cat alooking at you to home, when you went into a
dark room. Wow! say, did you notice me acoming down that tree outside
like greased lightning? I own up I expected I'd be pounced on any
second, and that made me in something like a hurry, fellows!"

One or two of the scouts snickered at this. The sound appeared to annoy