the movement of a
serpent, it threw itself over on its back, seized the lad's hand between
its bent paws, patted it from one to the other, and then held it tightly
as it brought down its mouth as if to bite, but only began to lick the
palm with its rough tongue.

"There!" said Rob; "what do you say now? Isn't it a tame one?"

"I--I don't know yet. Hadn't I better fire and kill it?"

"You'd better not," cried Rob. "That'll do, old chap; you'll have the
skin off. I say, his tongue is rough. Why, what beautiful fur he has,
and how soft and clean! I wonder whose he is."

In the most domestic cat-like fashion the puma now curled itself round,
with its forepaws doubled under, and kept up its soft purr as it watched
the lad by its side. But as he rose the animal sprang up too, butted
its head affectionately against his leg, and then looked up as if to
say,--

"What next?"

"Why don't you come and stroke it?" cried Rob. "Because I'm sure it's
wild and fierce," was the reply. "Well, it isn't now."

"Ahoy!" came from a distance, and the puma looked sharply about, with
ears erect and an intense look, as if it were listening.

"Ahoy!" shouted back Rob. "Let's go to them. Come along, puss."

He took a few steps forward, the puma staring at him and twisting its
tail from side to side; but it did not stir. "There, I told you so. It
is wild."

"Well, it may be, but it's quite ready to make friends, and it will not
hurt us. Come along."

Joe did not possess his companion's faith, and keeping his face to the
puma as much as he could, he advanced toward where they could see
Brazier waving his hand to them to come on.

As they advanced Rob kept on stopping and looking back at the puma,
calling it loudly; but the animal made no response. It stood there with
its eyes dilating again, waving and twisting its tail, till they were
thirty or forty yards distant, when, with a sudden movement, it half
turned away, crouched, its hind legs seemed to act like a spring, and it
was shot forward into the low growth and disappeared.

"Gone!" said Joe, with a sigh of relief.

"Why, you're actually afraid of a cat," said Rob mockingly.

"I am--of cats like that," replied his companion. "I've heard my father
say that some of them are friendly. That must be a friendly one, but
I'm sure they are not fit to be trusted. Let's make haste."

Rob did not feel so disposed, and he looked back from time to time as
they forced the