#119 "The Black Panther Betrayal" Online Book cont.

Continuing with "The Black Panther Betrayal: Government At Work": " I drove up the road a ways, turned around, and started back. The truck made a huge racket as I slowly accelerated. I drove back to the spot where I may have seen the black panther, but whoever he was, he was gone. I figured that if he were a black lab, he would still be around. I forced myself to keep my left elbow sticking out of the truck window. I called Wayne, he listened to my story, and commented, "You know it was a black panther." Still, I was afraid I was being an hysteric. I also called my wife and told her about the encounter. I started heading home, but after twenty miles I was fairly confident my truck wasn't falling apart so I went back to the Ecofina River, hoping to positively see a black panther. Wayne had suggested rubbing soap on the fan belt, so when I got to the light at the boat ramp, I did that. Sometimes, it comes in handy carrying everything but the kitchen sink on my little expeditions. I also mixed a big bowl of cat chow with a can of sardines. I drove to the spot where I may have seen the big cat and put out the food. With a shudder, I returned to the safety of the truck. A little farther up the road, I put out some corn for the deer. I got home at 2:30 in the morning and was dog-tired the rest of that day. I am still readng, "Swamp Screamer," and have just read that panthers will often be twenty miles in the morning from where they were the previous evening. To Be Continued. Peter Nickerson at 352-359-0849, Alachua, Florida.