FUNNY VISITORS. 221 



a minute to admire a small animal, which ran under the wagon and vanished in 

 the darkness. It was beautiful and graceful, of a gray color, with an admixture 

 of yellow, and covered with dark patches, with alternate bands of black and white 

 on its tail. 



The creature is the blotched genet, which has retractile claws, and is found not 

 only in South Africa, but in the southern part of France. 



The investigation of the Texan satisfied him and the director that no other wild 

 men were in the vicinity, and nothing further was said about the exciting incident 



THE BLOTCHED GENET. 



*hich had so recently occurred. The discussion, they thought, would keep until a 

 more opportune season. 



The guards stationed themselves precisely as before, despite the resolution the 

 lads had previously formed that they would insure wakefulness by keeping in 

 motion ; but, having had several hours of sound slumber, and being in one another's 

 company, there certainly was little likelihood of their losing consciousness. 



Pongo and Abdallah paced back a.nd forth like professionals, while the boys, 



