Slowly the wide river-lane shaded. But it was still daylight, and the bank and the runway were clearly distinguishable. There was a moment--Ken could not tell just how he knew--when the jungle awakened. It was not only the faint hum of insects; it was a sense as if life stirred with the coming of twilight. Pepe was the first to earn honors at the listening game. He held up a warning forefinger. Then he pointed under the bluff. Ken saw a doe stepping out of a fringe of willows. “Don’t move--don’t make a noise,” whispered Ken. The doe shot up long ears and watched the boat. Then a little fawn trotted out and splashed in the water. Both deer drank, then seemed in no hurry to leave the river. Next moment Hal heard something downstream and George saw something up-stream. Pepe again whispered. As for Ken, he saw little dark shapes moving out of the shadow of the runway. He heard a faint trampling of hard little hoofs. But if these animals were _javelin_--of which he was sure--they did not come out into the open runway. Ken tried to catch Pepe’s attention without making a noise; however, Pepe was absorbed in his side of the river. Ken then forgot he had companions. All along the shores were faint splashings and rustlings and crackings. A loud, trampling roar rose in the runway and seemed to move backward toward the jungle, diminishing in violence. “Pigs running--something scared ’em,” said George. “S-s-s-sh!” whispered Ken. All the sounds ceased. The jungle seemed to sleep in deep silence. Ken’s eyes were glued to the light patch of sand-bank where it merged in the dark of the runway. Then Ken heard a sound--what, he could not have told. But it made his heart beat fast. There came a few pattering thuds, soft as velvet; and a shadow, paler than the dark background, moved out of the runway. With that a huge jaguar loped into the open. He did not look around. He took a long, easy bound down to the water and began to lap. Either Pepe or George jerked so violently as to make the boat lurch. They seemed to be stifling. “Oh, Ken, don’t miss!” whispered Hal. Ken had the automatic over the log and in line. His teeth were shut tight, and he was cold and steady. He meant not to hurry. The jaguar was a heavy, squat, muscular figure, not graceful and beautiful like the one Ken had crippled. Suddenly he raised his head and looked about. He had caught a scent. It was then that Ken lowered the rifle till the sight covered the beast--lower yet to his huge paws, then still lower to the edge of the water. Ken meant to shoot low enough this time. Holding the rifle there, and holding it with all his strength, he pressed the trigger once--twice. The two shots rang out almost simultaneously. Ken expected to see this jaguar leap, but the beast crumpled up and sank in his tracks. Then the boys yelled, and Ken echoed them. Pepe was wildly excited, and began to fumble with the oars. “Wait! Wait, I tell you!” ordered Ken.