rang out, to
be instantly succeeded by a tremendous outburst of every imaginable
sound from the forest, amid which the cries of countless startled birds
and the sudden rush of their wings predominated. But Dick had kept his
gaze steadily riveted upon those two faintly shining orbs across there
in the blackness, and when the flash of the rifle lit up that blackness
for the fraction of a second he caught an instantaneous glimpse of a
foreshortened tawny-hided black-spotted form, with a rounded head and
short ears, standing at the very edge of the water, staring steadfastly
toward the raft. Then, as the vision vanished, a snarling sound, half
roar, half shriek, met his ears, followed by a few convulsive splashes--
then stillness.

"By Jove! I believe you've hit him," he exclaimed, excitedly starting
to his feet. "It was a leopard; I saw him by the flash of the rifle."

"No; not a leopard, my son," answered Earle. "So far as I know, there
are no leopards in America--except in menageries. But it may have been
a panther or jaguar. Let's get into the canoe and investigate. We'll
take the lantern with us, and the rifle, to guard against possible
accidents."

Part of the equipment of the expedition consisted of a very handsome
little fifteen-foot cedar-built canoe, intended to be towed astern of
the raft, and there it now floated, attached to the raft by a slender
painter. Unhooking the hurricane lamp, Dick led the way aft, followed
by Earle with the rifle in his hands, and presently they had both taken
their seats in the cockleshell of a craft. She was fitted with rowlocks
for use, with a short pair of sculls for the especial benefit of Dick,
who knew nothing as yet of how to handle a paddle. They were half way
to the shore when Earle, holding up the lantern on the end of a
boathook, caught sight of the motionless body of his victim lying half
in and half out of the water.

"There he is, and stone dead, if I'm any judge!" he exclaimed. And even
as he spoke a great black head appeared close to the body, the sound of
snapping jaws was heard, and with a sudden swirl of water both head and
body disappeared in the black depths, to be seen no more.

"Con-found it!" exclaimed Earle, savagely. "Now, if that isn't too bad!
My first jaguar, too, and a fine one at that; and a beastly 'gator has
stolen him from almost under my nose. Let up, Dick--or, rather, turn
back. It's no good. That darned 'gator has got my jagua