tock of his gun; but there was nothing
to be heard but the heavy breathing of the sleepers, and both lads were
beginning to think that the start and jerk were caused by their having
been asleep themselves, when there was a familiar voice close at hand.

"Well, lads, how are you getting on?"

"Not very well, father," replied Poole. "Is it all right?"

"Yes, my boy; I have heard nothing but the cries of the night birds, and
the creeping of something now and then among the boughs."

"Think the enemy will come to-night, Mr Reed?" said Fitz.

"Can't say, my lad. They may, or they may not. If they knew how easily
they could get the better of us they would make a rush. Tut, tut, tut!
Kick that fellow, Poole. Can't he sleep without snoring like that? Who
is it?"

"I think it's Winks, father."

"Rouse him up, then."

"Eh? Hullo! All right! My watch?"

"No, no," said Poole. "Be quiet; you are snoring away as if you were
sawing wood."

"Was I, my lad?" whispered the man. "Well, I believe I dreamed I was at
that game. Any fighting coming off?"

"No, not yet."

"All right; then I'll have another nap."

But at that moment from out of the darkness, at apparently the edge of
the jungle beyond the hacienda clearing, there was a sudden crashing as
of the breaking of wood, followed instantly by an exceedingly shrill and
piercing shriek, the rustle and beating of leaves, two or three low
piteous sobs, and then silence for a few moments, followed by a soft
rustling which died away.

"Steady there!" whispered the skipper, as he heard the click of a lock.
"Don't fire, my lad. It would only be wasting a charge."

"But the savage has killed somebody, Mr Reed," whispered Fitz, in a
voice he did not know as his own; and he crouched rigidly there with the
butt of his piece to his shoulder, aiming in the direction of the
sounds, and with every nerve upon the strain.

"Yes," said the skipper coolly; "the savage has killed somebody and has
carried him off. There, you can hear the faint rustling still."

"But a savage could not carry a man off like that," said Fitz
wonderingly.

"No," replied the skipper, with a low chuckle. "But that savage has
gone off with the body he seized. Don't you know what it was, my lad?"

"No," replied Fitz wonderingly.

"Then I'll tell you, as far as I know myself. I should say that was one
of those great cats, the tigers, as they call them here, the jaguars.
He was prowling along