!" said Shaddy, firmly. "I know what you
feel, my lad, and it's quite nat'ral; but just hark ye here a moment.
Can we do anything to find him in that black darkness to-night?"

"No," said Rob, in despair; "it is, I know, impossible."

"Quite right, my lad. Then as soon as it's daylight oughtn't we to be
ready to go and help him?"

"Of course, Shaddy."

"Then how can we do most good,--as half-starved, worn-out fellows,
without an ounce of pluck between us, or well-fed, strong, and
refreshed, ready to tramp any number of hours, and able to carry him if
it came to the worst? Answer me that."

"Come and light the fire, Shaddy," said Rob, quietly.

"Ah!" ejaculated the old sailor, and he led the way to where the embers
lay, warm still, and with plenty of dry wood about. Five minutes after
the fire was blazing merrily and illumining the scene.

"Now," cried Shaddy, "if your Tom would play fair, and let us have the
hind-quarters of that deer, we might have it instead of the lizard.
He'll only eat the neck, I daresay. Shall we try him? I don't think
he'd show fight at you, sir."

"Let's try," said Rob, quietly. "I don't think I'm afraid of him now."

"Not you, Mr Rob, sir," said Shaddy; and they went together to where
they had left the puma feasting upon the deer, but, to the surprise of
both, there lay the carcass partly eaten about the throat and breast,
and the puma had gone.

"He can't have had enough yet," growled Shaddy, dropping upon his knees,
knife in hand; and, seizing hold of the deer, he drove his blade in just
across the loins, separating the vertebrae at the first thrust, but
started back directly, as a low and fierce growl came from the edge of
the forest, where they could see a pair of fiery eyes lit up by the
blaze they had left behind.

"I know," cried Shaddy; "he was scared off by our fire, but he don't
want to lose his supper. What shall we do, Mr Rob? Two more cuts, and
I could draw the hind-quarters away. I'll try it."

The puma was silent, and Shaddy slowly approached his hand, thrust in
his knife, and made one bold cut which swept through the deer's flank;
but another growl arose, and there was a bound made by the puma--which,
however, turned and crept slowly back to cover, where it stood watching
them, with the fire again reflected in its eyes.

"He don't mean mischief, Mr Rob, sir," said Shaddy. "I'll have another
try. I may get through it this time."

"No, no, don't try; i