The spell of subjection was broken. Once more the wild, untamed and untamable spirit of the jungle asserted itself. The stern command, the crack of the whip, the flashing eye had no longer any terror for the aroused brute, and he cared only to devour his whilom master. Little Hickory felt greater fear in witnessing this attack on his deliverer than when he had himself faced the angry creature. But the suspense was of short duration this time. A quick movement of the right hand on the part of the keeper, the flash of powder, and the report of a firearm were closely followed by the death cry of the doomed tiger, whose last leap ended with his frantic, dying struggles. “It was too bad, too bad,” declared the man, as he watched the futile efforts of the brute to regain its feet. “He was a valuable animal, but it was his life or mine, and mine was worth more to me.” “I was beginning to think it would be my life,” said Rob, “but you came in good season.” “Ay, lad, you were in a tight box, but you showed true grit. Do you know, young fellow, there ain’t one in ten thousand who could have stood up there as you did? I saw it all, but I knew it would precipitate a crisis if I made a move before I was near enough to hope for an effect. Say, if you will go with me I will guarantee you a position where you can earn good money and a good-sized pile of it. What do you say?” “I thank you, sir, but I cannot leave to do it.” “It will pay you. What do you say to a thousand a year to begin with?” “I shall have to say no, sir. I wonder what became of those children?” “They have reached the village by this time. Ha! there come some of the townspeople, and I’ll warrant they will give you a kind word. You deserve it.” Without knowing what reply to make, Rob watched in silence the approach of the party from the village, among whom he saw Dr. Menter and ’Squire Hardy. “Come right along and have no fear, gentlemen,” said the voluble keeper. “This creature is powerless to harm you now.” The relief of the newcomers was shown by their actions as well as words, and when the slayer of the tiger came to describe how Rob had saved the lives of the children, one at least in the crowd was warm in his praise. That person was Dr. Menter, whose children had been among those saved, and he grasped Rob’s hand, saying fervently: “Young man, I thank you from the depths of my heart. If you will come down to the house Mrs. Menter will join her thanksgiving with mine. You have done us a favor to-day which will take more than money to repay.” As these were the first really kind words Rob had heard since coming to Basinburg, they gladdened his heart with uncommon joy, but he was too anxious to get home to accept Dr. Menter’s urgent request to go with him.