leaf and flower from the summit almost to the
ground, while the other side was comparatively bare, so closely was it
placed to the dense crowd of its fellows whose limbs were matted
together and enlaced with creepers of endless variety, out from which
the sheltering tree stood like a huge, green, smoothly rounded buttress,
formed by nature to support the green wall which surrounded her forest
fastness.

As soon as they had eaten their meal the two lads hurried off to where
the boatmen were deftly skinning the great cat-like creature,--rather a
disgusting operation, but one full of interest, as limb after limb was
cut down right to the toes and the skin stripped away, to show the
tremendous muscles and sinews which enabled the animal to bound like
lightning upon its prey.

"Seems a pity to waste so much good, fresh meat when a bit would be
welcome, eh?" said Shaddy, with a grim smile.

"Would you like to eat some of it?" asked Joe.

Shaddy shook his head.

"No," he said, "I should as soon think of roasting a tom-cat at home and
calling it hare. Rum thing it seems, though, that those creatures which
live upon one another should be rank and nasty, while those which eat
fruit and green-stuff should be good. Keep your guns ready, my lads.
It's very quiet here, and you may get a shot at something good for the
supper to-night: some big pigeons, or a turkey, or--I'll tell you,
though; I can hear 'em rustling about in the trees now. They'll be
easy, too, for a shot."

"What? Parrots?"

"Nay, better than them. A nice, plump young monkey or two."

"What?" roared Rob.

"A nice young monkey or two; and don't shout, my lad. If you make that
noise, we shan't be able to hear anything coming."

"Bah!" cried Joe. "I should feel like a cannibal if I even thought of
it. I say, look at Mr Brazier!"

Rob turned and smiled as he saw his leader eagerly making up for lost
time, and, after climbing about twenty feet up a tree with a hatchet in
his belt, holding on with one hand while he cut off a great bunch of
flowers hanging from the bough upon which, like so much large mistletoe,
it had taken root.

Shaddy saw him almost at the same moment, and turned to the tree,
followed by the lads.

"I say, sir, don't do that!" he said, respectfully.

"Why not, my man? We are not trespassing, and damaging anybody's
property here."

Shaddy laughed.

"No, sir, you won't do much trespassing here," he said.

"Then why do you