ttention was drawn to something else
swimming, by the peculiar sound made by the puma, which suddenly grew
uneasy; but the creature, whatever it was, passed on toward the trees.

Several times over Rob listened to and spoke of the splashings and heavy
plunges about the surface.

"'Gators," said Shaddy, without waiting to be questioned. "Fish ain't
allowed to have it all their own way. They came over the flooded land
to feed, and the 'gators came after them."

It was with a wonderful feeling of relief that Rob heard Brazier say,
"Morning can't be far distant," and the guide's reply:

"Daylight in less than an hour, sir. Croakers and squeakers are all
going to sleep fast till darkness comes again."

"Hist! listen!" whispered Rob excitedly.

"Yes, I hear it, sir. Something moving towards us."

"What is it?"

"Don't know, sir. May be a deer. If it is, so much the better for us,
even if it has to be eaten raw. But it's more likely some kind of cat
making for the trees. Hark at your lion there; he's getting uneasy.
Mate coming to keep him company, perhaps."

They could see the reflections of the stars blurred by the movements of
the swimming animal, and that it was going on past them; but it was too
dark for them to distinguish the creature, which apparently was making
for the forest, but altered its course and began to swim for the tree
where the party had taken refuge.

"Oh, come: that will not do," cried Shaddy; "we're full here. That's
right: drive him away."

This last was to the puma, which suddenly sprang up with an angry snarl,
and stood, dimly seen against the stars, with its back arched, tail
curved, and teeth bared, uttering fiercely savage sounds at the swimming
creature approaching.

"Some kind of cat," said Shaddy in a low voice. "Can't be a mate, or it
would be more friendly. Hi! look out," he said sharply, his voice full
of the excitement he felt. "It's a tiger as sure as I'm here. Out with
your knives: we mustn't let him get into the tree. No, no, Mr Brazier;
you're too weak yet. I'll tackle him. There's plenty of room in the
other trees. We can't have the savage brute here."

As the man spoke, he whipped out and opened his keen-bladed Spanish
knife, and, getting flat down on his chest to have his arms at liberty,
he reached out the point of his knife like a bayonet.

"Take care, Shaddy," cried Rob hoarsely, as, knife in hand and holding
on by the nearest bough, he peered for