nes. If we meet any such we must refrain from firing,
since the reports of our guns will be sure to draw attention to us. I
mean, of course," explained the doctor, "that our weapons are not to be
appealed to unless there is no escape otherwise, as was the case with
the tiger."

While he was speaking, Mary gave a faint gasp and caught his arm. She
and Jack were facing the point toward which his back was turned.
Seeing that it was something behind him that had startled both, the
doctor turned his head. As if to emphasize the words just spoken, he
saw an immense spotted leopard, motionless in the trail not more than
fifty feet away. Evidently he was trotting to the stream, when he
caught sight of the three persons, stopped short, raised his head and
stared wonderingly at them.

The leopard shares the reputation of the tiger for deadly ferocity and
daring. When more than 20,000 persons are killed in India every year
by wild animals and serpents, it will be found that the leopard is one
of the most active among these factors of death, and holds his own well
up with the tiger.

Like the venomous serpent, the leopard had a terrible beauty all his
own. As he stood with head raised, eyes glaring, mouth slightly parted
and his long tail lashing his sides with a force that made the thumping
against his glossy ribs plainly audible, his pose was perfect. What a
picture he made!

The question that was to be quickly answered was whether the fearful
brute would allow himself to be turned aside from the path and withdraw
again into the jungle with his thirst unslaked. If he did he would not
be molested; if he presumed to advance upon the party, whom he
evidently held in slight fear, let him be prepared for the consequences!

Jack Everson fumbled his rifle and looked with sparkling eyes at the
beast.

"What a chance for another bull's-eye!" he said, in a low voice. "I
would take him right between and above his forelegs, where I should be
sure of reaching his heart."

"Don't fire unless he advances to attack us," warned the elder.

It would be hard to say what induced the leopard to retreat, for, as
has been said, he is one of the most dangerous denizens of the jungle;
but, while our friends were expecting a charge from him, he wheeled
about and trotted off.

"It looks as if he had learned something of your skill," remarked the
doctor with a smile.

Again, while the words were in the mouth of the speaker, he was
in