166 FOUR-HANDED FOLK. 



for the storm. It came ; shaking, scolding, and 

 even beating did not stir him. He had to be 

 actually torn away by main strength, but he 

 carried part of the meat with him, and he had 

 his excitement. The next day, or as soon as 

 cook forgot to be on her guard, he repeated the 

 performance, and never tired of it. Nor did he 

 ever resent the rough treatment he received ; he 

 knew he was in mischief. 



Another plan that he devised, to secure fresh 

 fowl, was to look up the hens after they had gone 

 to roost, kill one with a bite, suck its blood, and 

 then leave it. One day the fowls were actually 

 brought to his very nose, and though this tame 

 way lacked the excitement of adventure, he did 

 not refuse to accept. 



A country woman came into the court to sell 

 chickens, which she carried tied by the feet, 

 and hanging from a pole across her shoulder, 

 Nicaragua fashion. The cook proceeded to buy 

 some, and buying anything in that land of lei- 

 sure means talking half an hour over it. The 

 ocelot meanwhile observed the defenseless chicks 

 and also the absorbed traders. He crept up one 

 side and seized one. The fowl remonstrated ; 

 the peddler shrieked, and demanded pay ; and 

 Nico slipped out of sight. 



The cook, used to paying damages for the 

 work of pets, agreed to the demand, but began 



