Having relinquished its hold of the tree, and unable to encircle the animal's body with its deadly folds, the boa's strength was useless, and from that time on only the snarling of the jaguar and the threshing of the serpent could be heard until the fight came to an end.
"What are you going to do?" Neal asked as Poyor raised his weapon when the silence told that the conflict had been decided in favor of the weaker party.
"Kill the beast. There are too many of her kind already, and I shall be doing a favor to those who come after us by reducing the number."
"Don't shoot; she has proved her right to live, if the theory of the survival of the fittest be correct, and after such a battle it would be cowardly to kill her."
"If, on the morrow, you should find yourself suddenly seized by her, there would not be so much pity in your heart," Poyor replied, and before Neal could make any reply the animal had vanished in the thicket.
"There is no longer any question of what should be done," the Indian said regretfully, after a pause, as he lowered his weapon. "There is a fine skin for those who care to save it."
"It can lay there for all I care," Teddy replied with a laugh. "Fur in this kind of weather isn't pleasant even to think of. Perhaps in the morning Cummings will fancy it worth his while to carry the hide away."
"The ants will have devoured it before the sun rises, and since it has no value for you it is well to go to sleep. One of the white men can call you when it is time to stand your share of the watch."
"Is guard to be kept all night?"
"It would be unsafe for all to sleep. If the jaguars had not met the serpent what would have been the result to those whose eyes were closed in slumber?"