foolish creature's action and unable to restrain her
impatience started stealthily to climb up the tree. Inch by inch she
clambered up the columnar trunk. Warruk whimpered and Myla cooed low
and stroked his back to quiet him; then she peered up and down and to
both sides before again settling herself for sleep while Suma's claws
dug deeply into the bark as she clung in dread suspense lest the monkey
should discover her.

When all was quiet the Jaguar again resumed her upward journey while
Myla slumbered on in blissful ignorance of the proximity of her deadly
enemy.

As the gloom deepened numbers of the nocturnal feeders began to arrive.
First of all came the kinkajous, beautiful creatures of the weasel
family, with glossy brown fur and long, prehensile tails. In some
respects they resembled monkeys. They were alert and active but silent
as the very shadows.

The gray night monkeys put in their appearance soon after in a
twittering, nervous band, snatched their food furtively, and departed
without loss of time.

When the great curassows reached the spot it was with a rush of wings
that startled all the other creatures to the point of panic. They were
elegant birds, almost the size of turkeys, of a glossy, jet black color
and having beautiful crests of curled feathers. As they ate, they
flapped heavily from branch to branch and emitted low, groaning calls.
Myla heard their coming and trembled as with an ague. It was not her
first experience with the curassows but previously she had paid scant
attention to them from the security of her perch in the spiny palm tree.
Now it was a different matter. She was alone in a strange country and
the uncanny noises all around her terrified her and made her flesh
creep, and finally the nerve-racking commotion became unbearable. She
arose and silently started back toward the bridge across the windfall.

Suma could not suppress a cough of disappointment and rage as the monkey
slipped out of her reach. The one opportunity she had watched and waited
for was gone. And, Warruk, hearing his mother's voice, replied with a
wail of despair. As for Myla, the realization of her narrow escape had
the same effect upon her that an exploding fire cracker would have
produced. She cast caution to the winds and dashed away with a burst of
speed that made the branches shake as if agitated by a heavy wind.

The Jaguar quickly slid to the ground and raced along underneath the
fleeing monkey. As the la