The habits of all the wild animals, belonging to this region, had been described to him so minutely by Ross that he was sure he could not be mistaken.

Either it was a very hungry or a very ignorant panther to hover so boldly around a camp full of men and guns.
The panther was crouched on a bough of a tree, as if ready to spring, and Henry was the nearest living object.

It must be he at whom the great tawny body would be launched.

But as a minute passed and the panther did not move, save to sway gently, his courage rose, especially when he remembered a saying of Ross that it was the natural impulse of all wild animals to run from man.

So he began to back away, and he heard behind him the horses trampling about in alarm.