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otting tree trunks。 It had rained； and steam rose from the ground。 They ate an early dinner…a boiled lizard with matta root。 After dinner Sally stood up with the gun。
〃Jaguar or no jaguar； I'm going hunting。〃
〃I'm ing；〃 Tom said。
They followed a small stream downhill from camp； through a ravine。 The day was gray； and the forest around them was limp and bedraggled； the vegetation steaming。 The sound of dripping water mingled with the hollow calls of birds。
For half an hour they picked their way down the ravine； over mossy boulders and tree trunks； until they reached a swift stream。 They moved along it； Indian file； through the curling mists。 Sally moved a bit like a cat herself； Tom thought； the way she silently insinuated herself through the understory。
Sally paused； held up her hand。 Slowly she raised the gun； aimed； and fired。
An animal thrashed and squealed in the undergrowth； the sounds quickly subsiding。
〃I don't know what it was； except that it was stout and furry。〃 In the bushes they found the animal； lying on its side； its four legs sticking out horizontally。
〃Some kind of peccary；〃 said Tom； looking down at it in distaste。 He would never get used to butchering animals。
〃Your turn；〃 said Sally； flashing him a smile。
He pulled out his machete and began cleaning the animal while Sally watched。 Steam rose up from the internal organs as Tom scooped them out。
〃If we parboil it back in camp； then we can scrape the hair off；〃 Sally said。
〃I can hardly wait；〃 said Tom。 He finished gutting it； cut a pole； and tied the legs together。 They slid it on and hefted it over their shoulders。 It didn't weigh more than thirty pounds； but it would make a fine meal with meat left over for smoking。 They began heading along the ravine； backtracking the way they had e。
They hadn't gone more than twenty yards when they were stopped by the jaguar； standing in the middle of the trail directly in front of them。 It stared at them with green eyes； the tip of its tail flicking back and forth。
〃Back up；〃 said Tom。 〃Nice and easy。〃 But as they backed up； the jaguar took a step forward； and another； pacing them on padded paws。
〃Remember what Don Alfonso said？〃
〃I can't do it；〃 Sally whispered。
〃Shoot over its head。〃
Sally raised the muzzle of the gun and squeezed off a round。
The sound was curiously muffled in the fog and heavy vegetation。 The jaguar gave a small shiver but otherwise made no sign it had heard； just continued to stare at them； the tip of the tail twitching as rhythmically as a metronome。
〃We'll go around it；〃 Sally said。
They edged off the animal trail into the forest。 The animal made no move to follow them except with its green eyes； and soon it was lost to sight。 After a few hundred yards Tom began to cut back toward the ridgeline。 They heard the cat cough twice off to their left； and they moved farther down from the ridge。 They went a quarter mile and then stopped。 They should have encountered the ravine with the stream； but it wasn't there。
〃We should be cutting more to the left；〃 said Tom。
They angled left。 The forest became heavier； darker； the trees smaller and closer together。
〃I don't recognize this area at all。〃
They stopped to listen。 The jungle seemed to have fallen eerily silent。 There was no sound of a stream； nothing but the patter of water dripping from branches。
A low； booming cough came from directly behind them。
Sally turned angrily。 〃Get out of here！〃 she yelled。 〃Scat！〃
They went on； redoubling their pace； Tom in the lead； slashing a path through the undergrowth。 From time to time he could hear the cat on his left keeping pace with them； making an occasional purring noise。 It wasn't a friendly sound at all： It was low and thick and sounded more like a growl。 He knew they were getting lost； that they weren't going in the right direction。 They were almost running。
And then with a sudden flash of gold it seemed to congeal out of the mist ahead of them。 It stood on a low branch； tensed。
They stopped； backed up slowly while the animal watched。 Then； with a liquid movement； it leapt to one side of them； and in three bounds it had positioned itself on a branch behind them； blocking their retreat。
Sally kept her gun aimed at the jaguar； but she didn't shoot。 They stared at the animal and the animal stared at them。
〃I think maybe the time has e to kill it；〃 Tom whispered。
〃I can't。〃
Somehow； that was the answer Tom wanted to hear。 Never had he seen an animal so vital； so supple； or so magnificent。
Then； all of a sudden； the jaguar turned and took itself away； jumping lightly from branch to branch； until it had disappeared into the forest。
They stood there silently； and then Sally smiled。 〃I told you she was just curious。〃
〃That's some curiosity； following us for fifty miles。〃 Tom looked around。 Finally he tucked his machete back into his belt and picked up the pole holding the dead peccary。 He felt unsettled； uneasy。 It wasn't over。
They had gone five paces when the jaguar dropped down on them with a piercing shriek； like a shower of gold； landing on Sally's back with a muffled sound。 The gun went off uselessly。 Sally twisted while she fell； they hit the ground together； and the force of the blow knocked the jaguar off； but not before it had torn off half her shirt。
Tom threw himself on top of the animal's back； squeezing it between his legs like a bronco； clawing for its eyes with both thumbs to gouge them out； but before he could do it he felt the massive body flex and snap like a steel spring under him。 The animal screamed again； leaping and twisting its body around in midair as Tom drew his machete。 Then the animal was on top of him； a smothering of hot； rank fur bearing down on him and the pointed machete； Tom felt its flesh give； he could feel the blade slide up into the jaguar； and there was a powerful rush of hot blood in his face。 The jaguar screamed； twisted； and with all his might Tom gave the machete a sideways jerk。 The knife must have penetrated the animals' lungs； because the jaguar's scream turned into a suffocated gurgle。 The animal went limp。 Tom pushed it off him and pulled out the machete。 The jaguar gave one more kick and then was still。
He rushed over to Sally； who was struggling to get up。 She screamed when she saw him。 〃My God； Tom； are you all right？〃
〃Are you all right？〃
〃What did it do to you！〃 She tried to reach for his face； and he suddenly understood。
〃It's not my blood； it's hers；〃 he said weakly； bending over her。 〃Let me look at your back。〃
She rolled onto her stomach。 The shirt was in tatters。 There were four scores that ran across her shoulder。 He pulled what remained of her shirt off。
〃Hey； I'm fine；〃 came her muffled voice。
〃Quiet。〃 Tom stripped off his own shirt and soaked one end in a puddle of water。 〃This is going to hurt。〃
She grunted slightly with pain as he cleaned out the wounds。 They were not deep…the danger was mostly from infection。 Tom took some moss and made a pad and tied it onto the wound with his shirt。 He helped her put her shirt back on and sit up。
She looked at him again and winced。 〃My God； you're drenched in blood。〃 She looked ove