feet with excitement. What monster could it be that was giving so
much trouble? The next moment, while Tomaso's whip hissed in vicious
circles over his head, a plump little drab-colored pug-dog marched
slowly out upon the stage, its head held arrogantly aloft. Volleys of
laughter crackled around the arena, and the delighted spectators
settled, tittering, back into their seats.

The pug glanced searchingly around the cage, then selecting the
biggest of the lions as a worthy antagonist, flew at his pedestal,
barking furious challenge. The lion glanced down at him, looked bored
at the noise, and yawned. Apparently disappointed, the pug turned away
and sought another adversary. He saw King's big tail hanging down
beside his pedestal. Flinging himself upon it, he began to worry it as
if it were a rat. The next moment the tail threshed vigorously, and
the pug went rolling end over end across the stage.

Picking himself up and shaking the sawdust from his coat, the pug
growled savagely and curled his little tail into a tighter screw.
Bristling with wrath, he tiptoed menacingly back toward the puma's
pedestal, determined to wipe out the indignity. This time his
challenge was accepted. Tomaso's whip snapped, but the audience was
too intent to hear it. The great puma slipped down from his pedestal,
ran forward a few steps, and crouched.

With a shrill snarl the pug rushed in. At the same instant the puma
sprang, making a splendid tawny curve through the air, and alighted
ten feet behind his antagonist's tail. There he wheeled like lightning
and crouched. But the pug, enraged at being balked of his vengeance,
had also wheeled, and charged again in the same half second. In the
next, he had the puma by the throat. With a dreadful screech the great
beast rolled over on his side and stiffened out his legs. The pug drew
off, eyed him critically to make sure that he was quite dead, then
ran, barking shrill triumph, to take possession of the victim's place.
Then the whip cracked once more. Whereupon the puma got up, trotted
back to his pedestal, mounted it, and tucked the pug protectingly away
between his great forepaws.

The applause had not quite died away when a towering, sandy-brown bulk
appeared in the entrance to the cage. Erect upon its hind legs, and
with a musket on its shoulder, it marched ponderously and slowly
around the circle, eying each of the sitting beasts--except the
wolf--suspiciously as it passed. The watchful ey