Page:For the Liberty of Texas.djvu/125



" George! Something is wrong now!"

It was Dan who uttered the words, as he again drew rein, followed by Ralph. They had passed along a distance of less than quarter of a mile, and the end of the forest was still a goodly distance ahead.

A fierce howling had arisen, followed by a snarling and a snapping which caused the hearts of both boys to beat violently. The mustangs trembled, and acted as if they wished to turn and run.

"It's a wildcat or a painter, or something, and he's got into a fight with the wolves," continued Dan, as he strained his ears to catch the sounds of the encounter. "They are having a lively tussle, aren't they?"

"Let them fight it out," answered Ralph, with something of a shudder. "I hope they all kill each other, too," he added.

The howling and snapping and snarling continued for several minutes, then gradually died away in the distance. Still listening, they heard