of fresh armadillos were
espied, coming from the farther edge of the opening, and, in fact, from
the edge of a precipice, for the river flowed close by, and its channel
was at that point shut in by cliffs. These two were large fellows, and
were making speedily towards the carrion, in order to get up before it
was all gone. Guapo could stand it no longer. Guapo had tasted roast
armadillo, and longed for more. In an instant, therefore, axe in hand,
he was off to intercept the new-comers. Don Pablo and Leon followed to
see the sport and assist in the capture.

The armadillos, although not afraid of the vultures, seeing the hunters
approach, turned tail and made for the precipice. Guapo took after one,
while Don Pablo and Leon pursued the other. Guapo soon overhauled his
one, but, before he could lay his hands upon it, it had already half
buried itself in the dry ground. Guapo, however, seized the tail and
held on; and, although not able to drag it out, he was resolved it
should get no deeper.

[Illustration: THE ESCAPE OF THE ARMADILLO.]

The one pursued by Don Pablo had got close to the edge of the precipice,
before either he or Leon could come up with it. There it stood for a
moment, as if in doubt what plan to pursue. Don Pablo and Leon were
congratulating themselves that they had fairly "cornered" it, for the
cliff was a clear fall of fifty feet, and, of course, it could get no
farther in that direction, while they approached it from two sides so
as to cut off its retreat. They approached it with caution, as they were
now near the edge, and it would not do to move too rashly. Both were
bent forward with their arms outstretched to clutch their prey; they
felt confident it was already in their grasp. Judge their astonishment,
then, at seeing the creature suddenly clew itself into a round ball, and
roll over the cliff!

They looked below. They saw it upon the ground; they saw it open out
again, apparently unharmed, for, the next moment, it scuttled off and
hid itself among the rocks by the edge of the water!

They turned toward Guapo, who was still holding his one by the tail, and
calling for help. Although it was but half buried, all three of them
could not have dragged it forth by the tail. That member would have
pulled out before the animal could have been dislodged; and such is not
an unfrequent occurrence to the hunters of the armadillo. Don Pablo,
however, took hold of the tail and held fast until Guapo loosene