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look of bravado and even though they realized the danger, the boys
were caught up in the excitement of experiment. A few, however,
protested feebly.

"What if something happens and the cat gets hurt, Mike?" came
one anxious query. Mike looked at him with scorn and said they
didn't need his help either if he didn't want to stay.

"Okay, let's go," he commanded, and picked up the cat and
started forward.

As if they were hypnotized, they watched him mount a short em-
bankment and then stood aside as he held the squirming animal high
above his head and carefully let him drop. There was a short yelp
from the cat as he fell to the soft dirt below. The boys crowded around
to see if he had really landed on his feet.

"He did," came the awed voices. "He fell on his feet."
"See, I told you so," came the confident and triumphant voice of
Mike. He did not, however, tell them how his heart had dropped at
the thought of all the things that might have happened. What if the
cat had been hurt? He felt a shudder as he thought of his parents' re-
action but then dismissed these unpleasant thoughts with the ease of
childhood.
"Mike," came a voice from a block away, "what are you children
doing in those woods? Come home right away!"
A few minutes later a happy group of small boys emerged from
the woods laughing delightedly with their high spirited leader, and
the old Tom cat sauntered along behind, none the worse for the
morning's adventure.

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