to work he soon contrived a
collar of stout wire, which was wrapped round and round with thin
leather, a dog-chain attached, and then the dogs were called by Dick.

"I say, what are you going to do?" cried his brother; "they'll kill the
poor little thing."

"Oh no, they will not," said Dick confidently. "I'm going to give them
a lesson."

The dogs came bounding up, having been driven away during the
manufacture of the collar; and now, evidently under the impression that
they were to kill the young leopard, they became in a high state of
excitement.

"Oh, Dick!" cried Jack. "Mind what you are about."

"Down, down, down!" cried Dick sternly; and the dogs all crouched,
awaiting the order to attack. "Now, Rough'un, smell him."

Rough'un sprang up, and Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus made a rush; but a
tap each from the stick Dick held stopped them, and laying hold of
Rough'un's ear, Dick pushed the dog's nose close to the vicious-looking
little leopard.

"Now, sir, you're not to touch him; do you hear?"

Rough'un evidently heard, and after smelling at the little animal, he
looked up in a puzzled way at his master.

"Lie down, sir," said Dick, and the dog obeyed. "Now, dogs! Pomp,
Caesar, Cras, old boy."

There was a volley of barks here, and the dogs evidently thought that
their time had come; but a few stern words and a sharp tap or two from
the stick made them perfectly obedient, and they contented themselves
with sniffing at the little animal, which, on its part, finding that it
was not molested by the dogs, left off its angry demonstrations, gave
each one a gentle dab on the nose, and then rolled upon its back and
began to play.

The dogs looked more puzzled than before, Crassus uttering a loud whine
and giving his strong jaws a snap; but just then Rough'un accepted the
invitation to play, and began to pat and push the little animal, which
responded at once by rushing off and dashing back, rolling over, biting
playfully, and in less than a minute he and the young leopard were
leaping one over the other and gambolling as eagerly as if they were the
oldest of friends.

Pompey also played a little, and Caesar and Crassus looked tolerantly
on, but they did not join in themselves, beyond smelling the leopard a
few times over. Still there was no fear of their molesting the little
captive, which was tied up to a wheel of the waggon, and from that time
became one of the occupants of the camp.

CHAPTER N