ctory. The boar's thick skin was torn
off in several places by the claws and teeth of its antagonist. Its
movements became slower and slower, till the puma, having learned to
avoid its tusks, sprang on its back, and then rolling it over with one
blow of its paw, tore out its inside. The "painter" having thus gained
the victory, began forthwith to feast on pork.

"Come, that's more than I bargained for," exclaimed Mr Tidey, and
forgetting the caution he had given me, he lifted his rifle and fired.
His bullet went through the head of the puma, which rolled over by the
side of its late antagonist.

"You told me not to fire for fear of attracting the Indians," I
observed.

"So I did, but I am satisfied that the uproar made by the boar would
have brought them to the spot had there been any in the neighbourhood,"
he answered. "I don't think we have cause to fear them. Keep watch,
however, where you are, while I go down and cut up the porker. Should
you hear or see any Indians coming this way give me timely notice, and I
will rejoin you. We shall be able to hold our own against them, but I
do not expect that we shall be interfered with."

Saying this, he scrambled down the trunk of the tree, and cautiously
approached the puma. His bullet, however, had effectually deprived it
of life. Accordingly, placing his rifle on the ground, so that he might
seize it in a moment, he began to cut up the boar. The operation did
not take his practised hand long to perform. I was too much occupied,
however, in watching the approaches from all directions to perceive what
he was about, for every instant I expected to see the painted face of an
Indian brave emerging from among the trees. No one appeared, and at
length I heard Mr Tidey shout out:--

"The pork is ready for transport, we will make the best of our way back
to camp, so come down and help me, Mike. We may report that there are
no Indians in the wood, or we should have made their acquaintance long
ago."

I found that Mr Tidey had not only cut up the boar, but had flayed the
puma, from the skin of which he had formed a number of thongs. Some of
them served to secure to our backs as much of the pork as we could
carry, while with others we fastened up the remainder of the boar to the
boughs of a tree, to prevent either wolves or other animals from
reaching it until we could return with one of the horses to carry it
into camp. Our task being completed, we set off, taki