a few of these flat-nosed cartridges in this six-shot
magazine," he remarked, sturdily, as he glanced cautiously around.

"No fear of that now," said his chum, reassuringly. "The danger will
come, if it does at all, later on, when we have more trouble keeping the
fire going. So after we get this supper down we shall have to gather
fuel. It may not be quite so nice to go after it when we see a line of
yellow eyes watching all around."

"Oh, shucks! You're just stringing me now, Frank. If I really thought
they'd be as bold as that, why I'd climb a tree, that's what."

"What good would that do, tell me?" jeered the other. "Why, these cats
just live in trees and can leap twenty feet if they can one. Perhaps if
you found a hollow tree now you might feel safe, but in the branches of
one--never! Why, the monkeys would come and laugh at you. The ground
is the best place for us, after all, Andy."

"More coffee in the pot, if you ain't afraid of staying awake,"
suggested the cook.

"That would just suit me, for you see I'm more afraid of going to sleep
than anything else while on guard duty," Frank remarked, soberly.

By degrees Andy realized that this business of camping in the heart of a
tropical forest was no laughing matter. Still, they had escaped so many
threatening perils that he was beginning to believe they must be under
the protecting wing of some favoring god and that success lay just
ahead.

They sat up and talked for a long time. Neither would admit being at
all sleepy, and yet Frank caught his chum yawning ever so many times.

"Here, you, just make up your mind to turn in and get seven winks," he
said, pretending to be giving orders with all the airs of a commanding
officer.

"I suppose I'll just have to," came the reply, as the other started to
roll up close to the fire, for they had no blankets with them this
time. "Do you know I was just thinking about Puss."

"Well, what of him?" asked Frank.

"What if they start to chase us again in the morning? Are we going to
put up with that funny business right along? I say no. Let's warn 'em
that we're armed and can bore a hole right through their jolly old
biplane, upsetting them any time they get close enough. I'm drawing the
line on tomorrow, because somehow I feel it in here that it's going to
be the greatest day of my life," and Andy laid his hand on his heart as
he spoke.

"Yes, that would be our best plan," admitted Frank. "We've already stood
quite e