oanut shell.

"Oh, if he's gone on ahead, then we'll catch up to him," said Mrs.
Monkey. So away they all went, leaving the tree-house empty, and
expecting to meet Mappo somewhere on the road through the jungle.

But they did not, and there was poor Mappo on the ground right in front
of the bad tiger. The tiger knew none of the monkey family was near the
tree-house except Mappo. That was what made the tiger so bold.

For, had Mr. Monkey, or Mrs. Monkey, been at home they would have seen,
or smelled the tiger. Monkeys, and other creatures of the jungle, can
often smell danger much better and more quickly than they can see it.
And, had Mr. or Mrs. Monkey smelled the tiger, they would have kept
their little ones safe in the tree, and would have shouted loudly, to
warn all the other monkeys of the danger of the bad tiger.

"Well, you can't get away from me this time!" growled the tiger,
speaking in his own language, which Mappo understood very well, just as
the tiger understood the monkey talk.

For, though monkeys, tigers and elephants, as well as cats and dogs,
cannot speak our language, they have a way of their own for talking one
to another. To us it may sound only like chatter, growls, meows and
barks, but it is really talk. Wouldn't it be nice if we could understand
animals as well as they understand us?

For they can understand our talk, you know. Else how would a horse know
when to start and stop, when the driver tells him? Or how would your dog
know when to come to you, and to lie down when you tell him to, if he
didn't understand you? Tell me that, if you please.

So Mappo understood the tiger, and the tiger understood Mappo.

The little monkey, still keeping tight hold of the empty cocoanut shell,
looked at the crouching tiger as bravely as he could. Nearer and nearer
crept the striped beast. But don't you be afraid. I have a way of saving
Mappo, and I'm going to do it, too!

"Chatter! Chatter! Chip! Chip! Whew! Zur-r-r-r-r!" went Mappo in his
queer monkey talk. That was his way of calling for help. All monkeys do
that in the jungle, when they are in danger. They want a whole lot more
monkeys to come and help them.

"There's no use in your calling that way!" growled the tiger, deep in
his throat. "Nobody can hear you!"

Mappo began to believe that this was so. All the monkeys seemed to have
gone away from that part of the jungle. He was all alone with the tiger.

Now Mappo was a brave little chap, bu