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.