"Oh, no, Miss, beggin' your pardon. It wouldn't have been as bad as that.
Most-ways these bobcats would rather run than fight. I reckon if it had
seen you young ladies it would have run."

"Are we as scary as all that?" asked Alice, with a nervous little laugh.

"Oh, no, Miss. I didn't mean it that way at all," said the man. "I beg
your pardon, I'm sure. But a bobcat won't hardly ever attack a grown
person, unless it's cornered. I reckon this one must have been riled
about suthin' and thought to claw up the tots a bit. I happened to be
around, so I jest natcherally plunked him--beggin' your pardon for
mentionin' the matter."

"It was awfully good of you," murmured Ruth, who had Tommy's and Nellie's
hands now.

"Won't you tell us who you are?" asked Alice, as she introduced herself
and her sister.

"Who--me? Oh, I'm Jed Moulton," replied the hunter. "I'm an alligator
hunter by callin'. But they're gittin' a bit scarce now, so I'm on the
move."

"I wish you'd come back and meet our friends," suggested Ruth. "Mrs.
Maguire, the children's grandmother, will want to thank you for what you
have done."

"Wa'al, I'm in no special rush, and I reckon I can spare a little time,"
agreed Jed. "But I ain't much used to havin' a fuss made over me."