The firing of the gun seemed to raise pandemonium. The sudden appearance
of the light, as the animal made the leap, disconcerted him, and the
shot following immediately, caused him to utter a terrific growl. John
grasped the Professor's gun and shot the second time, and the shot was
at blank range. The animal gave a slight spring forward, and fell across
a tree trunk which was at one side of the enclosure, and on which they
had arranged the cooking utensils the night before.

This was exciting enough for one night's adventure, but as John and the
boys were about to descend a crash in the trees to the right caused them
to halt. The Professor held out his light, but the thick wood and the
dense underbrush prevented any examination more than thirty or forty
feet beyond.

The eagerness of the boys to return to the wagon caused the Professor to
loose his grip on the lamp, and before he could recover the hold, it
fell to the ground and was extinguished. The yaks appeared to be in a
frenzy now, and the howling beyond increased in intensity. After a
search the lamp was relit, and the two others also brought out and
lighted, and the appearance of the light caused a hurried retreat of the
howling beasts.

"It is a puma," were the Professor's first words, "the most enormous
specimen I ever saw."

[Illustration: _Fig. 30. PUMA_]

"Well, these woods must be full of them, by the way they howled."

The yaks were calmed down after some effort, and it was found that the
shoulder of Jack had been lacerated by the claws of the puma, but beyond
that no damage was done. Both of John's shots had taken effect, and it
delighted the Professor to point to the wound and then indicate, as best
he could, how they owed him a debt for his skill.

The carcass was dragged out of the enclosure to keep the yaks quiet, and
when this was done they seemed relieved.

"I would like to know what the other animal was?"

"It is my opinion that it was a companion to this one. They, like all
animals, have a means for communicating their ideas to each other. Some
English scientists have found that the hen utters twenty-three distinct
notes, and that they convey different meanings. One single note,
differing from another, may convey the meaning of an entire sentence
uttered by man. The particular purring of a cat in one way means one
thing, and when emitted in a slightly altered tone indicates something
entirely different. Then, again, most animal sounds a