ruck the slinking beast full in
the side. Frank threw up his gun, ready to shoot should the jaguar, as
he feared might be the case, leap at his chum. But there proved to be no
need. Instead, the brute was evidently alarmed at this novel weapon,
something entirely beyond his ken.

Frank heard him give a snarl that told of mingled rage and fright. Then
he made a spring, but _away_ from the fire, and into the dense
undergrowth from whence he had just issued so bravely.

Looking around Frank saw that the glade was deserted of four-footed
foes. The whirling torches had done the work.

"Bully for us!" shouted the excited Andy, ready to dance in his delight
over the success of his labors. "Didn't we send 'em a flying, though?
Perhaps they just dare to come snoopin' around here again, when they're
not asked! Frank, I guess you nailed that critter, all right. Dast we
look and see?"

"Sure we will," returned Frank, instantly. "Pick up another bit of
burning wood. Then let me go just ahead of you, so that I can shoot if I
have to."

They thus boldly advanced toward the spot where Frank had first sighted
the blazing yellow orbs.

"I can see something there!" declared Andy, who possessed sharp eyes.

"Yes, it's the beast, all right. But I can't say for sure whether he's
down on his back, or crouching for a spring. Careful, not so fast,
Andy." And Frank kept covering the object with his rifle as foot by foot
they kept on.

"He's lying on his side! He's a dead duck, all right!" sang out Andy,
waving his fire vigorously to and fro.

"You're right, he's stone dead!" observed the other, a touch of natural
pride in his voice; for it was no mean feat to kill so ferocious a beast
as a jaguar, after seeing only his two eyes shining in the darkness
beyond the fire-light.

Frank stooped down, and catching hold of one of the dead animal's hind
legs, started dragging it toward the fire.

"Hold on there," said Andy; "don't tell me we're going to have a steak
off that old cat? I can stand for a good deal, but I'd go hungry a long
time before I'd eat any of _him_!"

"Don't worry about that," laughed Frank. "But think what a bully old
rug his hide will make some day. I'm going to try and take it off, if I
can, while you're getting breakfast in the morning. It's worth while."

Andy looked as though he doubted the ability of his chum to accomplish
the feat; but then he was counting without his host; for when the chance
came Frank deft