Telegram-herald., 1891-08-27


but he's getting used to the game now,
and you've got here just in time. Don't
let us lose hint One of you como slow
ly up straight behind me, and the other
four sweep around and get in rear Of
the brute, but don't waste q moment,
for he begins to hook mighty ugly"
As we heard Toms startling explana-
ton. q thrill of hardly repressed ex-
citemenr ran through the little party.
Frank Austin, carrying his own and
his chuIn's rifle, advanced cautiously
toward him, and the rest of as made .
detour and crept silently as possible,
through the grass until we reached a
point directly in line with the actors in
this singular drama Then We rose to
our feet, and. peering over the top of
the rank growth, saw q most curious
sight, indeed. Crouching low on his
belly and creeping stealthily along lay
. full-grown and beautifully spotted
jaguas, while, few yards beyond him,
Tom, gradually backing away, held be-
tween his fingers a common little mir
TOR, such as prospectors carry, and, as
he faced the sun, continually flashed
the reflected rays into the eyes of the
brute, who. on each repetition of the
trick, recoiled in momentary terror,
snarling and showing his great fanga,
and then resumiag his course until
again checked In the same way. Tho
hungry, bloodthirsty monster was so
intent upon his expected prey, and,
1AA Hx~ <hA i
nary defense, that he appeared to have
eyes and ears for nothing else, and it
was only when our simultaneously
raised gun hammers came into full po-
sition with sharp click that he turned
his head and saw us Then, the spell
of his absorbing pursuit being broken,
he gave a hoarse, savage cry OF rage
or fear. and for one-half second, stand
ing at bav. seemed undecided whether
~ fight or fly.
That instant sealed his fate. Four
rifles cracked together and each one
sent q heavy conical bullet crashing
through his huge, round skull, and
without so much as tremor he sank
stone dead TO the ground. With q
shout Of triumph we brushed past tho
carcass and rushed over TO Tom. who,
now that the fearfil tension was re-
laxed. had dropped-and little wonder
--insensible into Frank Austin's arms
Tom, however, was made Of good stuff
aud soon revived, when, after empty
ing the contents Of two or three water
TASKS down bis parched throat, he told
tho story Of his unprecedented adven-
ture Ia few words
when you fellows lay down -
sleep" said he. 81 took my net and set
out for little hunt, intending to be
back bv the time you should awake,
but met with such success that I went
on and on 10 the edge Of this savanna
and then across 10 nearly TO the
further side l heard all your shots,
but Of course you did not hear me
shout In return until you got into the
open
II secured lots of rare specimens
here. and bad just picked up fine
SCARLET bestle when / noticed little
way of lowlv-advancing trembling
wave In the long grass, as IL some mon-
strous serpent were crawling through
H. AZ first supposed that this really
vas the case and stood carefully
watching prepared for run Bat I
very quickly found tha. retreat was out
OF the question wien In nlnase or 80
caught = glimpse Of this dangerous
beasts head a. he wormed himself fint
along the ground. and l sn, not
ashamed 20 confess that fairly shoo<
with fright at the sight being. "a you
know. utterly unarmed
Il had read somewhere that beasts ~
prey vii fiy ai she sound n the human
voice: and - I tried % frightsn this
felio~ ofr bv series ~ Wild yells
PERHAPS he DID not recognize these
80 human al ali: bat. anyhow. he did
net scare vpr.h cent On the con
tray. he creps steadily On until within
fifteen feet when he hamped ap his