orth a feather."

"Now don't, please, good Jackal--don't say anything of it this time.
The fright I have had is quite sufficient to keep me from touching a
bone again."

"Well, I am sure I don't wish you any harm, but for your life's sake do
not be so dull as to forget the lesson you have learned."

Soon after Leopardess returned with a small antelope for the morrow's
breakfast, and cried out to Jackal, as was usual with her on returning
from the hunt:

"Now, my Jackal, bring the cubs hither; my dugs are so heavy. How are
the little ones?"

"Ah, very well, ma'am: poor little dears, they have been in a sweet
sleep ever since you went out."

A few days later, Leopardess brought a fat young zebra, and Jackal
displayed his best skill in preparing it for dinner. Dog also assisted
with wise suggestions in the preparation of certain auxiliaries to the
feast. When all was ready, Dog laid the table, and as fast as Jackal
brought the various dishes, Dog arranged them in the most tempting
manner on fresh banana-leaves, spread over the ample plateau. Just
before sitting down to the meal, Leopardess heard a strange noise
without, and bounded to the door, growling angrily at being disturbed.
Dog instantly seized the opportunity of her absence to extract a great
bone from one of the trays, and stowed it in a recess in the wall of the
passage leading from the kitchen. Presently Leopardess came back, and
when the cubs were brought the meal was proceeded with in silence. When
they had all eaten enough, the good effect of it was followed by
commendations upon the cooking, and the juicy flavour of the meat, and
how well Jackal had prepared everything. Neither was Dog forgotten by
the mistress and her young ones, and he was dismissed with the plenteous
remnants of the feast for himself and mate, with the courteous hope that
they would find enough and to spare.

In the afternoon Leopardess, having refreshed herself with a nap,
sallied out once more, enjoining Jackal, as she was going out of the
den, to be attentive to her little ones during her absence.

While his friend Jackal proceeded towards the cubs, Dog surreptitiously
abstracted his bone from the cavity in the passage wall, and trotted out
unobserved. When he had arrived at a secluded place, he lay down, and,
seizing the bone between his paws, was about to give it a preliminary
lick, when again, to his dismay and alarm, the bone flew up and away
straight for the door