120 MARTIN RATTLER.

hermit’s brains. Before he could make a second at-
tempt, Martin sprang towards the gun which leaned
against the cliff and running quickly up, he placed
the muzzle close to the jaguar’s ear and lodged a
bullet in its brain. All this was done in a few
seconds, and the hermit regained his legs just as the
animal fell dead. Fortunately he was not hurt,
having adroitly avoided the sharp claws of his
enemy.

“Arrah! Mister Hermit,” said Barney, wiping the
perspiration from his forehead, “ it’s yersilf that was
well-nigh done for this time, an’ no mistake. Did
iver I see sich a spring! an’ ye stud the charge jist
like a stone wall—niver moved a fut!”

“Are you not hurt?” inquired Martin, somewhat
anxiously ; “your face is all covered with blood.”

“ Yes, boy, but it is the blood of the jaguar; thanks
to you for your quick hand, I am not hurt at all.”

The hermit washed his face in the neighbouring
brook, and then proceeded to skin the jaguar, the
carcass being worthless. After which they retraced
their steps through the woods as quickly as possible,
for the day was now far spent, and the twilight, as -
we have before remarked, is-so short in tropical lati-
tudes that travellers require to make sure of reaching

the end of the day’s journey towards evening, unless