"Are they bad?" asked little Jack.
"Phew!" replied Harris; "a native has little fear of attacking those animals, and we are strong. Stay! Hercules would be strong enough to crush two jaguars at once, one in each hand!"
"You will watch well, Hercules," then said little Jack, "and if a beast comes to bite us——"
"It is I who will bite it, Mr. Jack!" replied Hercules, showing his mouth, armed with superb teeth.
"Yes, you will watch, Hercules," said the novice, "but your companions and I will relieve you, turn about."
"No, Mr. Dick," replied Acteon, "Hercules, Bat, Austin, and I, we four will be enough for this labor. You must rest the whole night."
"Thank you, Acteon," replied Dick Sand, "but I ought to——"
"No! let those brave men do it, my dear Dick!" then said Mrs. Weldon.
"I, also; I shall watch!" added little Jack, whose eyelids were already closing.
"Yes, my Jack, yes, you will watch!" replied his mother, who did not wish to contradict him.