“Fell into the tree,” answered Whopper.  “Hark!”

They listened and heard a faint cry for help.

“Where is that from?”

“The tree!  Shep must be in the tree!”

“And the wildcat’s on top of him!”

“I’m going to his help!” exclaimed Snap, and began to climb up the hollow tree without delay.

When he gained the opening he peered down into it.

“Shep!  Are you there?” he called out, anxiously.

“Yes,” was the faint answer.  “Is that you, Snap?”

“Yes.  Is that wildcat alive?”

“I guess not.  But he has almost smothered me.”

“How did you get down there?”

“Slipped down.  Get something and help me to get out.”

“I will.”

“Poor Shep!  What a place to be in all night!” was Whopper’s comment.  “I wouldn’t go through that for two billion dollars!”

“I’m going to cut a pole with a notch on the end,” said Snap.  “We can pull him up with that.”

A number of saplings were handy and Snap soon had the pole he desired.  Then all three of the boys climbed into the tree and lowered the pole.

“All ready?” cried Snap.

“Yes,” was the muffled answer from the bottom of the hollow.

“Take care, or somebody will slip out of the tree,” cautioned Giant.  “Our footing isn’t of the best.”

All three of the young hunters strained on the pole with all their might.  At first they could not budge the doctor’s son, but at last they gained a few inches, and then the rest was easy.

“I’m glad I am out of that,” gasped Shep, when he could step on one of the tree’s branches.  “I don’t know what I should have done had you not happened along.”

“We started to look for you and got lost,” answered Whopper, and then told the story.

Shep was so weak he could scarcely use his feet and they had to help him to get to the ground.  He told of his night of horror and of the experience with the wildcat.  He was exceedingly thankful that they had shot the animal.

“We may as well take our time getting back to camp,” said Snap.  “I shan’t feel like doing anything else to-day.”

“I am going to do nothing but rest,” answered Shep.

Arriving at the camp they were thankful to find everything just as they had left it.  A fire was started up and preparations made for a substantial meal.  Then all took a good wash and ate their fill, after which they declared they felt much better.

“I have learned one lesson,” said Shep.  “I am going to give hollow trees a wide berth after this.”

“And when I go out after deer I am going to make sure of where I am traveling,” said Whopper.  “Don’t catch me getting lost fifteen miles from nowhere again!”

The wildcat had been brought along, and during the afternoon Snap skinned the carcass and hung the pelt up to cure.  The carcass was thrown away, as they did not know what else to do with it.