When the door was open, this peg had
only to be pulled out, to let it shut down like a flash; and being shut
no animal could open it. Jacob went along the brook and obtained a
quantity of bark from the moosewood, (_Dirca palustris_,) of which he
made a strong cord, long enough to reach from the pen to the house. One
end of this he tied tightly to the peg that supported the door, and the
other he made fast inside the house.
When night came, he was ready for visitors.
Stationing themselves at the window, he and Polly watched and listened.
Hardly had it become dark, when they heard the mewing of the panthers at
no great distance in the forest. Persons who are familiar only with the
mewing of cats, have little idea how a panther's stronger, but similar
voice will ring through the woods.
In a little time they distinctly heard one of them leap upon the pen and
begin scratching as the night before; and in a moment more, by the
confined sound of purring and growling, it was evident they had entered
the sty and were disputing over the morsels of meat.
Then Jacob gave the bark cord a vigorous jerk and they heard the door
drop.
I suppose it would be impossible to describe the excitement of Polly and
Jacob at this moment, but the girls and boys can imagine something of
it.
They did not dare to go out to see if they had caught the _panthers_,
lest, having failed, the panthers might catch _them_.
Before morning, however, they were sure enough that one or more was
captured, for there was a great deal of smothered howling, just as it
would sound from animals shut in a pen.
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