“Good gracious!” exclaimed the young naturalist, wiping his forehead with his coat-sleeve, (for the exciting scene through which he had just passed had brought the cold sweat from every pore in his body); “it is a lucky circumstance for you and me, Brave, that the varmint did not stand and show fight.”

Then ordering the dog to “sit down and watch him,” the young naturalist threw down his ax, and started toward the house for his gun.  He was still very much excited, fearful that the wild-cat might take it into his head to come down and give the dog battle, in which case he would be certain to escape; for, although Brave was a very powerful and courageous dog, he could make but a poor show against the sharp teeth and claws of the wild-cat.  The more Frank thought of it, the more excited he became, and the faster he ran.  In a very few moments he reached the house, and burst into the room where Uncle Joe and Archie and two or three hired men sat at breakfast.  Frank seemed not to notice them, but made straight across the room toward the place where his shot-gun hung against the wall, upsetting chairs in his progress, and creating a great confusion.

“What in tarnation is the matter?” exclaimed the farmer, rising to his feet.

“I’ve found the wild-cat,” answered Frank, in a scarcely audible voice.

“What’s that?” shouted Archie, springing to his feet, and upsetting his chair and coffee-cup.

But Frank could not wait to answer.  One bound carried him across the floor and out of the door, and he started across the field at the top of his speed, dropping a handful of buck-shot into each barrel of his gun as he went.  It was not until Frank had left the house that Archie, so to speak, came to himself.  He had been so astonished at his cousin’s actions and the announcement that he had “found the wild-cat,” that he seemed to be deprived of action.  But Frank had not made a dozen steps from the house before Archie made a dash for his gun, and occasioned a greater uproar than Frank had done; and, not stopping to hear the farmer’s injunction to “be careful,” he darted out the door, which Frank in his hurry had left open, and started toward the woods at a rate of speed that would have done credit to a larger boy than himself.  But Frank gained rapidly on him; and when he reached the tree where the wild-cat had taken refuge, Archie was full twenty rods behind.  He found that the animals had not changed their positions.  The wild-cat was glaring fiercely down upon the dog as if endeavoring to look him out of countenance; and Brave, seated on his haunches, with his head turned on one side, and his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth, was steadily returning the gaze.  Frank took a favorable position at a little distance from the foot of the tree, and cocking both barrels, so as to be ready for any emergency, in case the first should not prove fatal, raised his gun to his shoulder, and glancing along the clean, brown tube, covered