His next thought was to descend again, leap from the tree, and crushing
the vermin under his feet, make for the bark-cutters. He had made up his
mind to this course, and was already half-down, when _he remembered the
puma_! In his alarm at the approach of the ants he had quite forgotten
this enemy, and he now remembered that it was directly in the way of his
intended escape. He turned his eyes in that direction. It was not there!
The ant-bears were still upon the ground--the young one dead, and the
mother struggling in her last agonies; but no puma!

The boy began to hope that his cries had frightened him off. His hope
was short-lived; for on glancing around the glade, he now beheld the
fierce brute crouching among the grass, and evidently coming towards
him! What was to be done? Would the puma attack him in the tree? Surely
he would; but what better would he be on the ground? No better, but
worse. At all events he had not time for much reflection, for before two
seconds the fierce puma was close to the tree. Leon was helpless--he
gave himself up for lost. He could only cry for help, and he raised his
voice to its highest pitch.

The puma did not spring up the tree at once, as Leon had expected. On
the contrary, it crouched round and round with glaring eyes and wagging
tail, as if calculating the mode of attack. Its lips were red--stained
with the blood of the ant-eaters--and this added to the hideousness of
its appearance. But it needed not that, for it was hideous enough at any
time.

Leon kept his eyes upon it, every moment expecting it to spring up the
tree. All at once he saw it give a sudden start, and at the same instant
he heard a hissing noise, as if something passed rapidly through the
air. Ha! something sticking in the body of the puma! It is an arrow,--a
poisoned arrow! The puma utters a fierce growl--it turns upon
itself--the arrow is crushed between its teeth. Another "hist!"--another
arrow! Hark! a well-known voice--well-known voices--the voices of Don
Pablo and Guapo! See! they burst into the glade--Don Pablo with his axe,
and Guapo with his unerring gravatana!

The puma turns to flee. He has already reached the border of the wood;
he staggers--the poison is doing its work. Hurrah! he is down; but the
poison does not kill him, for the axe of Don Pablo is crashing through
his skull. Hurrah! the monster is dead, and Leon is triumphantly borne
off on the shoulders of the faithful Guapo!

Don Pablo dr