DODD, MEAD & COMPANY
NEW YORK
1958
© 1957 by Jim Kjelgaard
All rights reserved
Second Printing
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without permission in writing from the publisher
Library or Congress Catalog Card Number: 57-5233
Printed in the United States of America
by The Cornwall Press, Inc., Cornwall, N.Y.
For Patty Gallagher, and Linda, Pam, Larry and Craig Lewis
| 1. | THE JOLT | 1 |
| 2. | THE THREAT | 17 |
| 3. | THE CAMP | 31 |
| 4. | THE FUGITIVE | 47 |
| 5. | COON VALLEY | 59 |
| 6. | MESSENGER DOG | 75 |
| 7. | A FLIGHT OF WOODCOCK | 91 |
| 8. | TROUBLE FOR NELS | 107 |
| 9. | A BLACK BEAR CHARGES | 121 |
| 10. | DAMON | 137 |
| 11. | PYTHIAS | 153 |
| 12. | AL'S BETRAYAL | 167 |
The characters, incidents and situations in this book are imaginary andhave no relation to any person or actual happening.
When Ted Harkness reached the summit of Hawkbill, he hurried. He grinneda little smugly as he did so, for his had been a non-stop climb and mostpeople who wanted to reach Hawkbill, the highest point in the Mahela andthe only one that wasn't forested, had to rest at least twice. Some,starting out with firm determination to climb to the top, wavered enroute and never did get there.
The gorgeous, tricolored collie that had been pacing beside Ted ran ashort ways, snuffled into some brush and disappeared. Presently he camewagging back, to fall in beside his master, and Ted let a hand rest onthe dog's silken head. A little farther on, the collie pricked up itsears and Ted stopped in his tracks.
Just ahead, a fallen tree lay at an angle down the slope. Either rootedin soft earth or shallowly rooted, it had toppled when its upperstructure became too heavy for its root system to support, and it hadfallen so recently that its leaves had not even started to shrivel.Sitting nervously on its trunk, suspecting danger was near but lackingthe faintest idea as to where it was, were seven young