e upon his more powerful enemy; while Shaddy
rose and shook himself just as the rising sun sent a glow of light in
the heavens, and illuminated the savage drama commencing in the
neighbouring tree.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

"OUT OF THE FRYING-PAN INTO THE FIRE."

For all at once, as the jaguar reached the huge trunk, and rapidly
clawed its way to the fork, bleeding from both sides of its head, the
serpent awoke to the presence of the intruder; its scaly folds glistened
and flashed in the morning light, as it quivered in every nerve and
coiled itself fold over fold, and the head rose up, the neck assumed a
graceful, swan-like bend, and the jaws were distended, displaying its
menacing sets of teeth, ready to be launched forward and fixed with
deadly tenacity in an enemy's throat.

"I'm thinking that we're going to get rid of an unpleasant neighbour,"
said Shaddy slowly, as the jaguar, reaching the fork of the trunk,
seemed for a moment to be about to spring upon its fellow-prisoner in
the tree, and then bounded to a great bough and ran up three or four
yards. Here it was right above the serpent, with the large bough
between them, round which it peered down at its enemy, as it crouched so
closely to the rugged bark that it looked like some huge excrescence.

The serpent shrank back a little, lowering its head, but keeping it
playing about menacingly, as its eyes glittered in the sunlight.

Then there was a pause, during which the puma crouched down above Rob's
head, uttering from time to time a low growl, as it watched the jaguar,
which began passing its paws alternately over its wounded head and
licking them, exactly as a cat would have done on a rug before the fire.

"Doesn't look like a fight now," whispered Rob.

"Not just now, sir; he has hauled off to repair damages, and he wants
all his strength and lissomeness to tackle a great worm like that. Wait
a bit, and you'll see."

As he waited, Rob climbed up to where he could reach the puma,
hesitating a little before he attempted to touch it, for the animal's
fur was erect, and it was growling and lashing its tail angrily.

But at the sound of the boy's voice it responded by giving a low
whimpering cry, turned to him, and gave its head a roll, as if in answer
to a friendly rub.

"That's right," said Rob gently; "you're good friends with me, aren't
you?" and he patted and rubbed the beautiful creature's head, while it
let it lie on the branch, and blinked a