inter you heard.
I've--"

Just at this moment, a prolonged, heart-rending wail trembled upon the
stillness of the evening air: so piercing, yet so plaintive, was it, that
it sent a shudder through my frame I have not forgotton to this day.

"That critter ain't very far off," exclaimed Jerry. "Mebbe we'll git a
shot at him; though they're nasty things to hunt at night, fer yer can't
see 'em, they lay so clus onto the limbs."

"Did you ever kill one?" asked I.

"Yes, four on 'em; the last one was down on the Sabinal, just about a
year this time. I was--"

At this point, he was again interrupted by the animal's cry; this time so
near, that we both stopped short and cocked our rifles, for it seemed as
though he could be but a few feet from us.

"I tell you one thing, Jerry, I don't much like walking through this
grove, with one of those creatures so near; I'd rather take to the open
prairie. Besides, it's getting so dark I can't see anything."

"Pshaw! yer ain't afraid o' one of them critters, be yer? You jest foller
me; they never trouble any one unless they're hungry."

"But this one may be hungry," suggested I.

"Well, never you fear, you jest foller me," said Jerry, starting on.

I followed as quickly as possible; but had hardly taken a dozen steps,
ere I heard a quick exclamation, as of pain or surprise from Jerry's
lips, accompanied by a low, snarling growl, followed by a sound like that
produced by two persons rolling on the ground together. There was violent
breathing, angry ejaculations, the crashing of underbrush, and, before I
had time to think what it meant, I caught sight of a dark mass, evidently
rolling over and over upon the ground, a few feet in advance of me. I
could not distinguish what it was in the darkness, but suddenly caught
sight of two balls of living fire.

Bringing my rifle to my shoulder, and scarcely pausing to take aim or to
reflect upon the consequences of the shot, I fired.

The next moment Jerry sprang to his feet with a--

"Thunder! that was a tight squeak, and no mistake. Ef you hadn't fired
when you did, it'd been all up with me afore this time. The critter
didn't give me no fair show; he lit right onter my shoulder here, and's
tared it some I reckon, by the feel; howsoever, we kin git at it easy
anyway, but if it hadn't a bin for them boys--well, boys haint got no
bizness on the plains, no how."

I made an examination of the wounded shoulder, as well as I could in the
d