It paused for a moment, then flew right across from one tree to another, a distance of about thirty feet, when again it gathered itself together for another flying leap to the ground, alighting with singular ease within a few paces of the spot where the dead leopard was lying.
With outstretched neck and twitching nose, it stepped to its mate, sniffed, then threw its head up with bristling hair and emitted a terrible scream of rage, ending in a harsh cough.
As Compton pressed the trigger it bounded aside, as if it had seen him, and an instant later had reached the trunk of a tree.
"Where is it ?" "Went up that tree," said Venning, rising and stretching his neck.
"You take that side, I this." They moved slowly, finger on trigger and eyes swiftly scanning the branches, but they made the circuit of the tree without a glimpse of the yellow and black body that had so swiftly come and gone.
"Where the dickens has it gone ?" "Maybe into a hole up there." They stood staring up in bewilderment, but there was not a movement anywhere, and presently they wandered around examining the trees near.

The beast had vanished as completely as if it had been no bigger than a fly.
"Well," said Compton, with a short laugh, "I'm going to take the skin off the dead one, before it disappears too." They set to work stripping the skin off the muscular body, stopping often to listen and glance around.

The work, however, was completed in peace, and then, suddenly remembering their position, they hastened to retrace their steps.

Slowly they hit off the trail, and finally arrived as far as the place where Venning had first missed his bundle.
"It's after us, Dick!"-- in a whisper.
"Where ?" "Up among the branches.

I saw it spring across as I looked back." They looked up into the trees, and then at the dark shadows before them, for the afternoon was slipping away.
"I don't like it.