vanguard of the deer; below these, again, the pig and the wild
buffalo; and on the opposite bank, where the tall trees came
down to the water's edge, was the place set apart for the
Eaters of Flesh--the tiger, the wolves, the panther, the bear,
and the others.

"We are under one Law, indeed," said Bagheera, wading into the
water and looking across at the lines of clicking horns and
starting eyes where the deer and the pig pushed each other to
and fro. "Good hunting, all you of my blood," he added, lying
own at full length, one flank thrust out of the shallows; and
then, between his teeth, "But for that which is the Law it
would be VERY good hunting."

The quick-spread ears of the deer caught the last sentence,
and a frightened whisper ran along the ranks. "The Truce!
Remember the Truce!"

"Peace there, peace!" gurgled Hathi, the wild elephant.
"The Truce holds, Bagheera. This is no time to talk
of hunting."

"Who should know better than I?" Bagheera answered, rolling his
yellow eyes up-stream. "I am an eater of turtles--a fisher of
frogs. Ngaayah! Would I could get good from chewing branches!"

"WE wish so, very greatly," bleated a young fawn, who had only
been born that spring, and did not at all like it. Wretched as
the Jungle People were, even Hathi could not help chuckling;
while Mowgli, lying on his elbows in the warm water, laughed