o a higher development of brain than his; and, after
seizing the lasso several times, and shaking it as before, he returned
to the ground to his mate, who had sat all the while watching his
manoeuvres.

These efforts to reach the meat occupied nearly an hour. During all
that time the boys stood within the _circle of fire_, in the most
distressing situation. They were half-roasted by the heat, that had
been all along increasing, as the black logs burned into red embers.
They had made their circle _too small_; and they stood as in the midst
of a fiery furnace!

The smoke had partially cleared away, and they could witness every
movement of the cougars; but the terrible heat that oppressed them had
almost conquered their fear of these animals; and little would now have
tempted them to rush forth and battle with them. The perspiration ran
from every pore, and their guns felt like bars of hot iron!

"I can stand it no longer," cried Basil; "let us fire at them, rush out,
and take our chance."

"Patience, brother," replied Lucien. "One moment longer. Perhaps they
may go away."

As Lucien spoke, the cougars, who had now given up the bear's meat,
stealthily approached the fire. They crept forward like cats, when
stealing upon their prey. At intervals they uttered a strange sound,
like the low cough of a person in consumption. They gave forth another
sound, which fell equally strange upon the ears of the hunters. It
resembled the purring of a cat when caressed; but was much louder, and,
in the forest, now silent, could be heard at a considerable distance.
It was too plainly heard by those who were near. Both uttered it, as if
to encourage one another in their approach; and they kept crawling on,
waving their tails as they advanced. When within a few feet of the
fire, they stopped, and laid themselves almost flat along the ground--
yet evidently prepared to spring forward at any moment. It was a
terrible sight to look upon these fierce creatures as they lay. The
light of the great fire made every part of them fearfully apparent.
Their claws, their teeth, half uncovered, and even the bright irides of
their shining eyes were seen distinctly. But they looked not half so
fearful as at first. The young hunters now contemplated them from a
different point of view. They were suffering where they stood, so
fearfully, that there seemed no danger beyond that hot circle of fire--
not even from the claws of a cougar!