d.

'Dugald, speak!'

He spoke now almost in a stage whisper:

'A lion in the tree. Have you your rifle?'

I beckoned to my brother to come on, and at the same moment the monster
gave voice. I was near enough now to take aim at the puma; he was lying in
a cat-like attitude on one of the highest limbs. But the angry growl and
the moving tail told me plainly enough he was preparing to spring, and
spring on Dugald. It was the first wild beast I had ever drawn bead upon,
and I confess it was a supreme moment; oh, not of joy, but,--shall I say
it?--fear.

What if I should miss!

But there was no time for cogitation. I raised my rifle. At the self-same
moment, as if knowing his danger, the brute sprang off the bough. The
bullet met him in mid-air, and--_he fell dead at Dugald's feet_.

The ball had entered the neck and gone right on and through the heart. One
coughing roar, an opening and shutting of the terrible jaws--which were
covered with blood and froth--and a few convulsive movements of the hind
legs, and all was over.

'Thank Heaven, you are saved, dear old Dugald!' I cried.

'Yes,' said Dugald, getting up and coolly stretching himself; 'but you've
been a precious long time in coming.'

'And you were waiting for us?'

'I couldn't get away. I was sitting here when I noticed the lion. Dash and
I were having a bit of lunch. My cartridges are all on the mule, so I've
been staring fixedly at that monster ever since. I knew it was my only
chance. If I had moved away, or even turned my head, he would have had me
as sure as--'

'But, I say,' he added, touching the dead puma with his foot, '_isn't_ he
a fine fellow? What a splendid skin to send home to Flora!'

This shows what sort of a boy Brother Dugald was; and now that all danger
was past and gone, although I pretended to be angry with him for his
rashness, I really could not help smiling.

'But what a crack shot you are, Murdoch!' he added; 'I had no idea--I--I
really couldn't have done much better myself.'

'Well, Dugald,' I replied, 'I may do better next time, but to tell the
truth I aimed at the beast _when he was on the branch_.'

'And hit him ten feet below it. Ha! ha! ha!'

We all laughed now. We could afford it.

The Gaucho whipped the puma out of his skin in less than a minute, and off
we started for home.

I was the hero of the evening; though Dugald never told them of my funny
aim. Bombazo, who had long since recovered his spirits, was wel