Him seeing, and not fearing, the great Tree-climber of the mountains ran to meet, he who had often pulled the tails of cats, and grinned at larger beasts. Stopping often, and then starting again, like a great river that now rushes with violence, and then stops and whirls in an eddy, (showing commotion in its stop as in its onward course), he, seeming irresolute, plunged at last at Koree, having eluded his missiles, and seized him with hands and teeth. Hair and blood flew from Koree, who in turn sent a blow to Tree-climber’s ribs, which loosed his ribs and no less his fingers and teeth from Koree’s flesh; and the great warriors, bleeding and aching, flew apart. They stood, frowning like two mountain peaks about to fall with a crash upon each other, but were stayed in their rage by a return of Fear, the destroyer of battles. Both having enough, and being uncertain what it would be to get more, went back, one to the west like the sun, and the other to the east like a shadow; and there was a lull in the storm. [Illustration: KOREE’S CHALLENGE.] Then Kimpoo, the skunk-scented, rising among the Lali, went forth, breathing war from his extended nostrils, and, scratching first his thigh and then his ribs, said in defiant tones: “Invaders of our homes! go back to disgrace, or come forth to death.” So saying he threw a cocoanut which grazed the ear of Duco, calling forth a little blood and a big howl, and then passed on and struck the stomach of Pounder, producing only a grunt. Then High-tail, the Wood-pecker hunter, ran forth, he who knew all the holes in Possum Grove, and smelt at many and was sad. Aiming at Kimpoo a marrow bone, he threw it with such force, that, whistling through the air, it was heard but not seen. It entered his head where a flea had left a bite at early dawn; and as the bone went in his soul went out. Down he fell with a crash, as when a mountain fir is broken in the storm. Then Ilko, a friend of the slain ape and lover of huckle berries, rushed forth to avenge his death, and, aiming a stone at the head of High-tail, threw it with such precision that death entered where he struck, and the losses between the two forces were equal. Then seeing that Death was to be the companion of this War, and uncertain which army would survive, Koree invoked the aid of Shoozoo. “Great spirit of the skies and Swamp, God and Alligator,” he said, “teach us to conquer on this field or to run away in time. May our arms be stronger than the enemy, or our feet swifter than Death.” And then rushing out he called on any of the Lali to come forth to meet him in battle, and particularly Ilo, the robber of his pleasures. But Ilo was sitting afar off with Sosee, guarding her against escape and the seductions of Oboo his rival, and he heard not the challenge to battle.