“I don’t know.  Of course it’s not a tiger, for there are none in this country except in circuses.  Maybe it’s a wildcat.”

“Oh, they are terrible.  But this doesn’t look like the wildcat Flaming Arrow shot in the backwoods.”

“No, it doesn’t,” agreed Alice.  “But we must do something to save those children!”

Tommy and Nellie, all unconscious of their peril, were still sorting their blossoms beneath the tree.

“If we could only get them out of the way—­somehow,” urged Alice.  “Then we might hurry off before the beast could spring.”

“But it might chase after us—­and them.”

“That’s so.  One of us had better go for help.  You—­you go, Alice.  I—­I’ll stay here,” faltered Ruth.

“What!  Leave you alone with that beast?  I will not!”

“But what can we do?”

Alice thought for a moment.  The animal in the tree had apparently not seen them—­its attention was fixed on the two children.  Then, as the girls watched, they saw it move slightly, while its tail twitched faster.

“It’s getting ready to spring!” whispered Alice.

“Oh, don’t say that!” begged Ruth, clasping her hands.

They really did not know what to do.  They were some distance from the others of the moving picture company, and to go to them, and summon help, might mean the death or injury of the children.

On the other hand, to call out suddenly, or to rush toward the little ones, might precipitate the attack of the beast.

And then fate, or luck, stepped in and changed the situation of affairs.  Tommy spied another blossom—­a brighter one than any he had yet gathered and he cried out: 

“Oh, look at that pretty flower!  I’m going to get it!”

“No, let me!” exclaimed his sister, and the two got up with that suddenness which seems so natural to children, and sped across a little glade, out from under the tree, with its dangerous beast toward a clump of ferns and flowers.

It was the best, and perhaps the only thing, they could have done.

“Oh—­oh!” gasped Ruth.  It was all she could say.

“Now they are safe,” Alice ventured.

But not yet.

The beast had been about to spring and now, with a snarl of disappointed rage, it bounded lightly from the limb of the tree to the ground, and began a slinking advance upon the children.

“Oh!” screamed Ruth, and her cry of alarm was echoed by her sister.  Both girls instinctively started forward, but an instant later they were halted by a voice.

“Stand where ye are, young ladies.  I’ll attend to that critter!”

Before they had a chance to look and see who it was that had called, a shot rang out and the beast, which had been running along, crouched low like a cat after a bird, seemed to crumple up.  Then it turned a complete somersault, and a moment later lay motionless.

Tommy and Nellie, hearing the report of the gun, paused in their rush after the bright flowers, and then, as they saw the big animal not far from them, they uttered cries of fear, and clung to each other.