ts his mother had brought him,
only smaller; but they were always limp and silent while this one
struggled and made queer little noises! He raised his other paw for a
good look at the creature, his heart pounding wildly with excitement.
And the mouse, feeling the pressure relaxing gave one quick wrench and
was free. Warruk bounded after it but it slipped nimbly into a crevice
in the rotten wood and was gone. Exasperated at being outwitted he
clawed and bit furiously at the minute opening into which his captive
had escaped, spitting and growling the while. His exertions only tired
him so at last he was compelled to stop to rest.

It seemed however, that this was destined to be Warruk's unlucky day.
Scarcely had he thrown himself down upon the litter of soft chips than
another black, rounded form hove into view, precisely where the first
had been; but it was of larger size. This time there would be no mincing
of matters. He was determined that the new prize should not escape him.
With a savage little snarl he rushed at the newcomer and struck it with
all the might at his command.

A howl of pain escaped him as he tried to lift his paw quite as quickly
as it had descended but the awful thing clung to it and it was only
after a number of vigorous shakes that he succeeded in dislodging it. In
his lack of experience he had planted his paw directly upon a giant
rhinoceros beetle with bristling, thorn-like "antlers" one of which had
penetrated the skin between the pads. The pain was intense so he held
up the injured member and wailed for his mother; he was in trouble and
wanted her badly.

Fortunately, Suma at that very moment was stealing across the windfall
and at the sound of her offspring's cries of distress she darted forward
with frantic speed and rushed into the cavity so hurriedly she upset
him. Warruk scrambled to his feet and followed her to the farther end of
the hollow where she licked his foot until the pain left. At the same
time she chided him for his disobedience and again tried to impress upon
him the peril of venturing too near the outer world while she was away.
And childlike, Warruk remembered the lesson for a period of exactly one
day.

Again Suma was away, working havoc among the smaller wildfolk. Time hung
heavy and the light of the world beyond his horizon exerted a stronger
fascination than ever. It attracted the cub like a magnet and before he
knew it he was standing before the opening. His eyes op