“But the bone is yet to be cracked,” said Mowgli. “Eowawa! THUS do we do in the Jungle!” The red blade ran like a flame along the side of a dhole whose hind-quarters were hidden by the weight of a clinging wolf.

“My kill!” snorted the wolf through his wrinkled nostrils. “Leave him to me.”

“Is thy stomach still empty, Outlier?” said Mowgli. Won-tolla was fearfully punished, but his grip had paralysed the dhole, who could not turn round and reach him.

“By the Bull that bought me,” said Mowgli, with a bitter laugh, “it is the tailless one!” And indeed it was the big bay-coloured leader.

“It is not wise to kill cubs and lahinis,” Mowgli went on philosophically, wiping the blood out of his eyes,