o!"

And with this determination he galloped up the pecan, his claws rattling
against the bark.

By this time the opossum had got near the top of the tree, and out upon
one of the branches that grew horizontally. Along this the lynx
followed; and had arrived almost within reach of the object of his
pursuit, when the opossum, suddenly lapping the branch with her tail,
let herself down to the limb below! The lynx appeared for a moment as
if about to spring after; but the limb was a slender one, and he was not
sure that he might be able to grasp it. He, therefore, turned back,
evidently chagrined; and, descending by the main trunk, ran out upon the
branch now occupied by the opossum. The latter, as before, again let
herself down to another limb; and then, without waiting for her pursuer,
to another still lower, until she hung on the very lowermost branch of
the tree!

The boys thought she was about to drop to the ground, and endeavour to
escape to the woods. That, however, was not her intention, for she knew
the lynx would soon overtake her if she made the attempt. She had got
into the safest situation possible, under the circumstances, and _she_
seemed to know it. She therefore continued to hang on the lowest limb
of the pecan--so near its extremity, that the branch bent under her
weight. It would not have carried another 'possum--much less the
heavier body of a lynx; and the latter, with the "eye of a lynx," saw
that at a glance.

Mortified as he was, however, he was determined to satisfy himself by a
trial. He first crawled out upon the limb, proceeding with great
caution as far as he dared venture; and then with outstretched claw
endeavoured to reach the rings of her tail, thinking he might scratch
them off. In this he was not successful. He could barely touch the
tail with his toes; and he might just as well have tried to open the
claws of an eagle. He next mounted the brands above, thinking this
would bring him nearer; but he soon discovered his mistake. Again he
ran out upon the limb where the opossum hung, and looked for a moment as
if determined to spring down upon her, and carry her along with him to
the earth; but the distance deterred him, and after a while he skulked
back and squatted himself in a fork of the tree.

He did not rest long before a new thought, seemed to strike him. The
'possum was not so very high above the ground; perhaps he could spring
up and seize her by the nose? It was