The boys stood still and looked about, passing the searchlight from side to side, but seeing nothing save the splash of the rain on the broad leaves about them. Then Case called again:
“Keep close to the light!” he cried.
Then a great racket in the undergrowth reached the ears of the listening lads. It sounded as if an elephant was engaged in deadly combat with an alligator fresh from the river. Cries like those of a cat and grunts like those of a huge hog came with the tumblings. Ripping sounds like tearing tough cloth or leather succeeded. Presently the racket died out, and nothing was heard save the drip-drip of the rain and the wind in the tall trees. The night was clearing a bit, and the clouds responsible for the shower were breaking and floating away, showing open spaces from which stars looked down.
A movement in the bushes caused Clay to present his gun in that direction and Jule to advance his light. Instead of the wild beast they anticipated seeing. Case came forward to meet them. His clothing was torn, and his face showed contact with thorny vines.
“What did you leave the boat for?” demanded Alex, glad of an opportunity to “roast” the boy. “Someone might have carried it away in a hand-bag!”
“I wanted to get that jaguar skin,” was the answer.
“Did you get it?” asked Jule, anxiously, for it was the desire of his heart that the party should take home such a trophy.
“Something got it, I guess,” replied Case. “Go and look where that fight was. “You’ll see what I bumped up against.”
Frank took the searchlight and peered through the thicket to the spot where the disturbance had been.
“It was a jaguar, all right,” he said, “and the tamandua got him—and he got the tamandua. Come here, boys.”