"You sure had a long sleep," was the hunter's greeting. "I reckon you both look better."
"Good morning. Or is it afternoon? We're just able to move about," said Helen.
"I could ride," declared Bo, stoutly. "Oh, Nell, look at the deer! It's coming to me."
The doe had hung back a little as Dale reached the camp-fire. It was a gray, slender creature, smooth as silk, with great dark eyes. It stood a moment, long ears erect, and then with a graceful little trot came up to Bo and reached a slim nose for her outstretched hand. All about it, except the beautiful soft eyes, seemed wild, and yet it was as tame as a kitten. Then, suddenly, as Bo fondled the long ears, it gave a start and, breaking away, ran back out of sight under the pines.
"What frightened it?" asked Bo.
Dale pointed up at the wall under the shelving roof of rock. There, twenty feet from the ground, curled up on a ledge, lay a huge tawny animal with a face like that of a cat.
"She's afraid of Tom," replied Dale. "Recognizes him as a hereditary foe, I guess. I can't make friends of them."
"Oh! So that's Tom--the pet lion!" exclaimed Bo. "Ugh! No wonder that deer ran off!"
"How long has he been up there?" queried Helen, gazing fascinated at Dale's famous pet.
"I couldn't say. Tom comes an' goes," replied Dale. "But I sent him up there last night."
"And he was there--perfectly free--right over us--while we slept!" burst out Bo.
"Yes. An' I reckon you slept the safer for that."
"Of all things! Nell, isn't he a monster? But he doesn't look like a lion--an African lion. He's a panther. I saw his like at the circus once."
"He's a cougar," said Dale. "The panther is long and slim. Tom is not only long, but thick an' round. I've had him four years. An' he was a kitten no bigger 'n my fist when I got him."
"Is he perfectly tame--safe?" asked Helen, anxiously.
"I've never told anybody that Tom was safe, but he is," replied Dale. "You can absolutely believe it. A wild cougar wouldn't attack a man unless cornered or starved. An' Tom is like a big kitten."
The beast raised his great catlike face, with its sleepy, half-shut eyes, and looked down upon them.