hild soon missed her offspring and went in search
of it. She suppressed a scream of terror as she took in the scene of the
great, black beast apparently about to spring and dashed back into the
shelter for the long, keen-bladed knife that was always kept handy for
any emergency. Without thought of danger to herself she flew at Warruk
as only a mother can in defense of her young. The _machete_ was
upraised and flashed in the sunlight. It was not until this occurred
that the mighty cat became conscious of her presence, so absorbed had he
been. At the same time a streak of fire shot through his shoulder where
the point of the knife slashed its way through skin and muscle. He gave
one cry of pain and surprise, leaped to one side, and turning bounded
away to the forest. The Indian gathered up her little one and fled into
the hut. Her screams now brought out the others who had remained at
home, among them Choflo, and as they rushed from the low doorways they
had just time enough to see the black form disappear into the thicket.

That night pandemonium reigned in camp. The men built another great fire
and chanted prayers for deliverance while the women squatted in the
outer circle with swaying bodies and raised their voices in loud
lamentations mingled with praises for the valiant Mata who had dared
attack and repel the savage animal.

As for Choflo, he sat silently on one side throughout the demonstration
and consulted the contents of his charm-bag. There were the teeth of
crocodiles, pebbles worn round and smooth in the riverbed and a tuft of
snowy feathers taken from the shoulders of a luckless egret. Finally he
arose and raising his hands commanded all to be silent.

"Tumwah has not been pleased with our offering. He is more angry than
before," he announced in a sepulchral voice. "My magic tells me so. The
terrible god has sent a Black Phantom from the lower world to haunt us
and to render our lives more miserable. Dark and filled with forebodings
is the season that has descended upon us."

His hearers rocked to and fro and smote their breasts in unison with the
sorcerer.

"We must bring a greater sacrifice. Twenty turtles must be offered to
Tumwah. Then, and only then will he recall the evil spirit that lurks in
our midst. Otherwise we shall perish."

Without a word of complaint or remonstrance the men boarded their
canoes and pushed out into the river, for the turtles were kept in
corrals on the other side. When th