ept close at his heels. Of
course the tapir was in sight only a few seconds, but the hunter knew
that he would take the beaten track, and therefore was at no loss. They
made no unnecessary noise--lest the tapir might be frightened from its
path--but ran on in silence.

They soon got back to the pit-fall, Guapo of course leading the way.

"Hola!" cried the latter, when he came in sight of it, "hola, young
master! he's in the trap!"

Sure enough he was; and the next moment they stood upon the edge of the
pit, and beheld the great brown body struggling and tumbling about at
the bottom.

Guapo did not pause a moment, but leaped in, _machete_ in hand. He had
no fear of the animal biting him, for he knew it would not do so; but
Guapo, in his hurry, had leaped carelessly, and his foot slipping, he
fell over the smooth body of the tapir. The latter in its fright jumped
upward, and the next moment Guapo was _undermost_ at the bottom of the
pit!

The animal had no design of trampling the hunter; but seeing that it
could easily leap out--the pit being shallowed for it by Guapo's body
and the fallen branches--it made a spring, and came out on the edge.
Leon had got round upon the side next the river, but he chanced to be on
the wrong side just then; for the heavy tapir dashing past, knocked
against him, and sent him sprawling among the trees. Before he could
recover himself, or Guapo climb out of the pit, a loud plunge in the
water announced that the animal had escaped to an element where it might
defy their pursuit.

Both were quite crest-fallen and disappointed, but Guapo especially so.
He had prided himself very much on his skill as a tapir-hunter, and his
pride was mortified at the result. He seemed very much chagrined; and as
he and Leon returned toward the house, he stopped at intervals and
looked into the water. Then shaking his machete in a threatening manner,
cried out,--

"Dive away, old thick-skin! Dive deep as you will, I'll have your hide
yet!"

CHAPTER XIX.

THE POISONED ARROWS.

The result of the tapir chase determined Guapo to have himself better
armed. There was one weapon--and a very efficient one too--which he knew
how both to make and use. That weapon was a "gravatana," or blow-gun,
sometimes called "pocuna." He had had an eye to this weapon all along,
and had already provided the materials necessary for making it. These
materials were of a varied character, and had cost him some trouble in