DOUBLE CHALLENGE By Jim Kjelgaard 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_ CONTENTS 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 and have no relation to any person or actual happening._ * * * * * DOUBLE CHALLENGE 1 THE JOLT When Ted Harkness reached the summit of Hawkbill, he hurried. He grinned a little smugly as he did so, for his had been a non-stop climb and most people who wanted to reach Hawkbill, the highest point in the Mahela and the only one that wasn't forested, had to rest at least twice. Some, starting out with firm determination to climb to the top, wavered en route and never did get there. The gorgeous, tricolored collie that had been pacing beside Ted ran a short ways, snuffled into some brush and disappeared. Presently he came wagging back, to fall in beside his master, and Ted let a hand rest on the dog's silken head. A little farther on, the collie pricked up its ears and Ted stopped in his tracks. Just ahead, a fallen tree lay at an angle down the slope. Either rooted in soft earth or shallowly rooted, it had toppled when its upper structure became too heavy for its root system to support, and it had fallen so recently that its leaves had not even started to shrivel. Sitting nervously on its trunk, suspecting danger was near but lacking the faintest idea as to where it was, were seven young bobtailed grouse. An imp of mischief danced in Ted's eyes. Ruffed grouse were one of the sportiest and one of the wisest of birds, but they weren't born wise and experienced. Like everything else, they had to learn and certainly these grouse weren't old enough to have learned much of anything. Ted said softly, "Get one, Tammie."