at all events easy to make the
trial. And with this intention he descended to the foot of the tree,
and ran out to the spot over which she was hanging. But she was higher
than he had calculated; and, like the fox with the grapes, after a few
leaps he gave it up. He was resolved, however, to make her stand a
siege; and, thinking he would be as comfortable where he was, he did not
return to the tree, but sat down upon the grass, keeping his eyes fixed
upon his antagonist.

All this while the old 'possum hung quietly upon her tail, holding the
hare in her teeth. From the moment she had secured herself in her
present position, she seemed to have no fear of her antagonist. On the
contrary, her countenance exhibited the expression of a malicious
laugh--and this was as evident to the spectators, as words could have
made it. The cunning creature plainly enjoyed the chagrin she was
causing to the "catamount."

At intervals, however, the thought seemed to stray across her mind as to
how it would all end: and then she assumed a graver look. The lynx, was
determined--she saw that in his face--to make her stand a long siege.
It would be, therefore, a question of patience and hunger. For the
latter she was prepared; and, to enable her to endure it the better, she
passed the hare into her hand-like fore-feet, and commenced tearing and
eating it!

This was too much for the patience of the lynx. He could bear it no
longer, but rose suddenly to his feet; and, with mane erect, rushed up
the tree again, and out upon the branch where hung the opossum. This
time, without stopping to calculate the danger, he sprang forward,
throwing his fore-feet around the other's hips, and seizing her tail in
his teeth. The branch creaked, then broke, and both fell together to
the earth!

For a moment the lynx seemed stunned by the fall; but, the next moment,
he was "himself again." He raised himself up; arched his back like a
true cat; and, with a wild scream, pounced down upon the 'possum. He
seemed to have forgotten the hare, which the other had dropped in her
fall. Revenge was the passion that now raged strongest within him.
Revenge caused him to forget that he was hungry.

The opossum, as soon as she came to the ground, had suddenly clewed
herself up; and now presented the same appearance as when she first came
upon the stage. Head, neck, limbs, and tail, were no longer visible--
nothing but a round ball of thick, woolly hair! At