on a single tree so long as it has plenty
of leaves. See!" exclaimed Don Pablo, pointing up; "here are several
trees stripped of their leaves! I'll warrant that was done by the ai."

"_A-ee_!" echoed a voice in the most lugubrious tones.

"I thought so," cried Don Pablo, laughing at the surprise which the
voice had created among the rest of the party. "That's the very fellow
himself,--this way,--here he is!"

All of them ran under the tree to which Don Pablo pointed, and looked
up. There, sure enough, was an animal about the size of a cat, of a
dark hay colour, with a patch of dirty orange and black upon the back.
This could be easily seen, for the creature was hanging along a
horizontal branch with its back downward, and its huge curving claws,
all in a bunch, were hooked over the branch. Its hair was thick and
rough, and no tail was visible, but its small round head and flat face
was almost as like the human face as is that of any monkey. Indeed, the
others would have taken it for a monkey,--Guapo excepted,--had they not
been already talking about it.

"Oh, yonder's another!" cried Leon, pointing higher up in the tree; and,
sure enough, there was, for the ai is usually found in company with its
mate. The other was a copy of the one already observed, with some
slight difference in size--no doubt it was the female one. Both had
observed the approach of the party, and now uttered their melancholy
"Ayee--a-ee!" that sounded anything but agreeable. In fact, so very
disagreeable is the voice of this creature, that it has been considered
its best weapon of defence. Beside the utterance of their cry, neither
of them made any effort to escape or defend themselves.

Don Pablo and the rest were about to pass on and leave the ais to their
leaf diet, but Guapo had other notions on that subject. Ugly as these
creatures were, Guapo intended to have one of them for his dinner. He,
therefore, begged Don Pablo to stop a moment until he should get them
down. How was this to be done? Would he climb up and drag them from
the tree? That is not so easily accomplished, for the ais, with their
crescent claws, can hold on with terrible force. Besides, they were out
upon the slender branches, where it would have been difficult to get at
them. But Guapo did not intend to climb. The tree was a slender one--
he had his axe with him--and the next moment its keen blade was crashing
through the bark of the ambaia wood. A few m