He would remain
quiet, until he had got his eyes upon the creature, when he could spring
upon it, or fire his pistol before it could do further harm.

With these ideas, quickly conceived, he rose silently to his feet, and
standing, or rather crouching forward, bent his eyes over the hammock.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

THE VAMPIRE.

Leon's head was close to that of the sleeper, whose sweet breath he
felt, and whose little bosom rose and fell in gentle undulation. He
scanned the inside of the hammock from head to foot. He gazed anxiously
into every fold of the cover. Not an object could he see that should
not have been there--no terrible creature--no serpent--for it was this
last that was in his mind. But something must have been there. What
could have caused the stream of blood, that now being closer he could
more plainly see trickling over the soft blue veins? Some creature must
have done it!

"Oh! if it be the small viper," thought he, "or the coral snake, or the
deadly macaurel! If these--"

His thoughts at this moment were interrupted. A light flapping of wings
sounded in his ear--so light, that it appeared to be made by the soft
pinions of the owl, or some nocturnal bird. It was not by the wings of
a bird that that sound was produced, but by the wings of a hideous
creature. Leon was conscious, from the continued flapping, that
something was playing through the air, and that it occasionally
approached close to his head. He gazed upward and around him, and at
length he could distinguish a dark form passing between him and the
light; but it glided into the darkness again, and he could see it no
more. Was it a bird? It looked like one--it might have been an owl--it
was full as large as one; but yet, from the glance he had had of it, it
appeared to be black or very dark, and he had never heard of owls of
that colour. Moreover, it had not the look nor flight of an owl. Was
it a bird at all? or whatever it was, was it the cause of the blood?
This did not appear likely to Leon, who still had his thoughts bent upon
the snakes.

While he was revolving these questions in his mind, he again turned and
looked toward the foot of the hammock. The sight caused him a thrill of
horror. There was the hideous creature, which he had just seen, right
over the bleeding foot. It was not perched, but suspended in the air on
its moving wings, with its long snout protruded forward and pressed
against the toe of th