myself on the limb of the tree, and took aim
directly for the head of the cougar--which was the only part of him I
could see for the moss. I pulled trigger. The smoke for a while
blinded me, and I could not tell the effects of my shot; but I heard a
rustling noise--as of some heavy body falling through the leaves and
branches--then a dull sound as of the same body striking against the
earth--and the next instant louder screams, and a sudden rushing among
the peccaries. I looked below. I saw the red body of the cougar
struggling in their midst; but it did not struggle long, for in a few
moments it was tossed upon their snouts, and mangled by their long
fierce tusks."

CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

BESIEGED IN A TREE.

"I now believed that we were safe. Both Frank and I experienced that
happiness which men feel who have been suddenly snatched from the jaws
of death. `The peccaries,' thought we, `will soon disperse and go off
into the woods, now that their enemy has been destroyed.' To our
consternation, however, we soon found that we were mistaken; for,
instead of retiring after they had glutted their vengeance upon the
cougar, they again surrounded the tree, looking fiercely up at us,
tearing the bark as before, and uttering their wild cries. It was
evident they were determined to destroy us if they could. It was a
strange way to thank us for delivering over to them their enemy!

"We were upon the lower branches, and they could see us distinctly. We
might easily have climbed higher, but that would have served no purpose,
as they could not reach us where we were. They could only destroy us by
keeping us in the tree, until we might perish by hunger or thirst; and
from what I had heard of the nature of these animals, I knew that it was
not improbable that they might do this.

"At first I was determined not to fire at them, thinking that after a
while their fury might subside, and they would disperse. Frank and I,
therefore, climbed a little higher; and concealed ourselves, as well as
we could, in the thick tufts of the moss.

"After remaining thus for above two hours, we saw that it was all to no
purpose--for the peccaries, although they had become more quiet, still
formed a dense circle around the tree, and appeared determined to carry
out the siege. Some of them had lain down--intending, no doubt, to take
it as coolly and easily as possible--but not one had as yet left the
spot.

"I grew impatient. I kne