answered Shep. "At the same time, we don't want to run the risk of being torn to pieces by such a beast."

"Boys, I've got an idea!" cried Snap suddenly. "Maybe it won't work out, but we might try it."

"To kill the lion?"

"No, to capture him alive, and turn him over to the circus folks for that reward."

"What is the idea?"

"Let us dig a big pit here among the rocks and bait it with the two dead wildcats. We can drag the wildcats on the ground around here and to the pit, and maybe the lion will follow the trail up and fall into the pit."

"He'll be very obliging if he does that," said Whopper with a laugh.

"I guess lions are as cautious as any wild beasts."

"He'll follow the trail if he gets hungry enough," said the doctor's son. "I think the idea is a good one, and I vote we follow it out at once.

"But to dig a pit will be lots of work," said Whopper. "Can't we find some ready-made hole that will do?"

Retreating still farther, and keeping their eyes and ears wide open for the possible reappearance of the monarch of the forest, the three young hunters at length found a hole that suited them. The bottom was filled with loose stones and decayed leaves, but these they soon cleaned out. Then, while Whopper went off for the dead wildcats, Snap and Shep made the hole still deeper. They removed the stones until they came to something of a small cave, and had to take care, for fear of tumbling in.

"I think that will hold the lion, if he deigns to come this way,"

said the doctor's son.

Over the top of the opening they placed some light brushwood, that would easily sink with the weight of any big beast, and in the center placed one of the dead wildcats. The other they dragged in a circle around the hole, and then let it fall to the bottom.

"That will give the beast something to eat, in case he is captured,"

said the doctor's son. "We don't want him to starve on our hands."

"I've got another idea," said Snap. "Why not fix one of the cameras so it will go off and take a picture, in case the lion touches a certain string? Mr. Jally told me how it could be done."

"A good idea!" cried Shep. "We'll do it right away. Only we don't want any flashlight, for that would scare the lion away."

"No; we'll have to run the risk of having the camera worked in the daylight."

It was dark by the time their task was accomplished. They knew that they could not get back to camp, yet none of them had any desire to remain in the vicinity of the lion.

"He might take it into his head to eat us up instead of the wildcats,"

said Whopper earnestly.

"Right you are," responded Shep. "We'll get as far away as we can."

They tramped for at least two miles, and during that time pa.s.sed a mountain brook that was strange to them. They tried to get some fish, but were unsuccessful.

"We are skunked, and no mistake," said Snap dolefully. "Not even one fish or a rabbit for supper!"

"I am going to beat around the trees for something," said the doctor's son. "Shoot at anything that flies."

He walked ahead, and the others kept their guns in readiness. But all he stirred up were a few small birds not worth laying low.

"Lucky we saved a little of the grub," said Whopper. "If we hadn't we'd go to bed supperless."

"I am going to roost in a tree to-night, to keep out of the reach of that lion," said Snap.

All agreed that this would be a good thing to do, and after dividing what remained of the food brought along, and getting a drink at a spring, they selected a tree that suited their purpose and mounted to the thickest of the limbs.

"Not a very comfortable bed," was Shep's comment. "But better than falling into that lion's clutches."

"Shall we go back to the pit in the morning?" asked Whopper.

"No; let us go to camp first, and see how Giant and Tommy are making out," said the doctor's son. "Most likely they'll be worrying about us."

To keep from falling, the three young hunters tied themselves fast in the tree. They tried to sleep, but this was almost impossible, and the most each got were fitful naps, with many dreams of the lion.

All thoughts of other game were, for the time being, banished from their minds.

At daybreak they descended to the ground and started for camp without waiting to shoot something for breakfast. They calculated they could get back before noon, and then they would eat a big dinner at their leisure.

All thought they had the "lay of the land" well fixed in their minds, and so they did not advance with the caution they might otherwise have taken. As a consequence, they presently made a false turn, and this brought them to a part of the mountains that was exceedingly rocky and rough.

"Say, we can't get through here," declared Whopper at last. "Why, it's worse than the Rocky Road to Dublin!"

"I believe we are off the right trail," returned Snap. "It seems to me our camp must be in that direction," and he pointed to their left.

"Perhaps you are right," said the doctor's son. "Anyway, we can't get through here. We'll ruin our shoes and run the risk of breaking our necks."

"Let us walk to the left," said Snap, and they turned back a short distance. As they did this, they started up a number of rabbits and, eager for some game, each blazed away, and as a consequence two of the creatures were brought low.

"Not much, but something," said the doctor's son.

They pressed on, soon coming to some rocks that were quite smooth.

"Be careful here," cautioned Snap. "A tumble would be a nasty thing.

There is a cliff just below us."

He and the doctor's son went ahead and Whopper followed. The rocks were even more slippery than they had antic.i.p.ated. The doctor's son was about to advise going back and walking around the cliff, when Whopper called out:

"A deer! I see a deer!"

"Where?" asked the others in a breath.

"Over yonder! I am going to give him a shot!"

In great excitement Whopper stood upright on the smooth rocks, raised his shotgun and pulled the trigger. But the deer was not hit, and a moment later disappeared from view.

The report of the shotgun was followed by a yell from Whopper. The weapon, had kicked back and sent him sprawling. Now he was rolling over and over on the smooth rocks, directly toward the dangerous cliff below him.

CHAPTER XXI