370 



TWO CURIOSITIES. 



The instant the kittens left the hands of Dick, he whirled about and dashed for 

 the highway, shouting : 



" Look out, Mr. Godkin ! The mother has arrived ! " 



Before the gentleman could rush into the jungle to the help of his young friend, 

 the latter was at his side. 



" Here ! let me have my gun ! " he added, reaching for the weapon ; " it's get- 

 ting too warm for me in there ! " 



" There couldn't be a better time for making a change of base," was the com- 

 ment of the elder, who leaped almost into the middle of the highway ; " depend 

 upon it, she will come for us." 



Mr. Godkin was right. Evidently the tiger tarried only long enough to make 

 sure her children were unharmed, and to place them back in their bed, when she 

 burst through the jungle, aflame with fury and with the intent of visiting awful 

 vengeance upon those who had dared to lay hands on her offspring. 



Her charge could not have been better timed that is, for those who had to 

 receive it. 



They were on the other side of the highway with guns at their shoulder and 

 ready for the raging beast. 



She looked around for an instant, as if to locate her victims, and then she 

 squatted to gather her muscles for the leap that was to be the death-signal of the 

 hunters. 



But at the very moment she was leaving the ground the two rifles were dis- 

 charged so nearly together that the reports were like that of a single gun. The 

 aim was accurate, both bullets entering the brain of the tiger, who made an odd, 

 twisting jump almost straight upward, and, falling on her back, lay a moment 

 pawing the air, and then became still. 



" I wonder if she's dead ? " said Dick, reloading his gun, but with one eye fixed 

 on the motionless brute. 



" As dead as dead can be," was the reply of Mr. Godkin, who proved his faith 

 in his own words by walking forward and giving the body a kick. 



" Those two bullets that we plumped into her body awhile ago and that didn't 

 seem to do any hurt, produced their good effect after all," added the elder, " though 

 we had such a fair aim that I think either of our shots would have finished her." 



" Like her mate, she deserved death," remarked Dick, " but only think!" he 

 exclaimed, slapping the shoulder of Mr. Godkin, " that gives us the prizes we're 

 after." 



" And there they are ! " 



The two kittens (as they will often do when with their mother) had left their bed, 

 and appeared on the edge of the jungle, blinking, winking and tumbling about as 

 though curious to learn the cause of all the excitement. 



They were pretty, plump creatures, though even in their playful gambols their 

 claws and teeth gave evidence of the fearful weapons they were sure to become in 

 the course of time. 



