70 BIG GAME FIELDS 



agility but to lessen the chances of detection by 

 scent. 



Here we took up our silent vigil. An hour 

 dropped by and we had seen and heard nothing 

 but the continual singing of the hordes of mos- 

 quitoes that were biting with such a vengeance, 

 that I could scarcely maintain a reasonable de- 

 gree of composure. Finally, rather than to be 

 literally eaten alive by these pests, I decided to 

 send John Charley back for the dogs. It was 

 more than likely that the jaguar was "lying up" 

 close by, and I believed with the pack w r e could 

 bring him to bay and have the thing over in 

 short order. The faint sound of John Charley's 

 fleeting footfalls soon died away. Then again 

 settled the solemn hush of the great forest 

 around. The air steamed and quivered while the 

 atmosphere reeked with dank odors, from the 

 damp, loamy soil of the place, and the humidity 

 increased by a degree or two. The shrilling of 

 the insects continued, and since there was no 

 other sound to be heard it was hard to tell what 

 made me feel that I was not alone unless it was 

 that I was served with that sixth sense that comes 

 to us at times. For there, where nothing had 

 shown a moment before, appeared a vision of 

 spotted black and gold gazing inquiringly down 



