And there were the Spinville boys round before breakfast.  They were there, indeed, and began again their search for the beasts.  The girls sat at the chamber windows, watching the chase.  Under a cabbage-leaf, fast asleep, the stray tiger was found.  The boy learned in Natural History went over the terrible list of all the fierce animals.  “Yes, there were ocelots and cougars and jaguars, peculiarly shy and stealthy in approaching their prey,” so the book said.  “There was the chibiguasu——­” But Jedidiah said he didn’t believe his Noah cared for such out-of-the-way beasts; they must have come in since his ark.  They had enough to do to catch the regular wild animals, and these at last they found in some number.  They were all seized, and with difficulty put into a wooden lozenge-box.  There was great delight; there must be all; the ark surely could have held no more.  Lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, lynxes, wildcats,—­all the animals necessary for a respectable ark, all in twos.

But, oh horror! a jaguar was discovered, also, at the last moment just before school.  One jaguar, and there must be another somewhere.  The one found answered the description completely:  “the body yellow, marked with open black figures, considerable variety in the marking.”  A stray jaguar in Spinville! so fierce a beast!  No one could be sure of his footsteps.  Noah, his sons and their wives, had not been unmoved.  Their satisfaction had been great.  They had carried water to the bears, and had looked much pleased; and now they shook their heads at seeing only one jaguar.

“I think they must be all caught but that one jaguar,” said Jedidiah.  “They look satisfied, and are going about their daily work; and it is time we found some place for the wild beasts.  They will come through mother’s bandbox before long.”

The boys went to school.  There was great consultation all that day, which ended in Tom Stubbs bringing a squirrel-cage.  It was just the thing, for the wires were near enough to keep the animals in, and everybody could have a look at them.  But how were they to be got into the squirrel-cage?  There came a new question.  Tim Stubbs remembered he had often caught a butterfly under his hat, and a very handsome butterfly, too, and he was sure he had him; but just as he lifted the brim of the hat to show the other fellows that he was really there, the butterfly would be off.

Happily there was no afternoon school, and a grand council of the boys was held, assisted by some of the selectmen.  The beasts in the lozenge-box were easily disposed of, for it had a sliding cover, which was dexterously raised high enough to let the beasts all into the squirrel-cage.  Then handy Tim Stubbs punched a hole in the bandbox opposite to the entrance of the squirrel-cage, and one by one the leopards and the rest were allowed to make their way into the wiry prison.  The tiger made a dash, but in vain; he was imprisoned like the rest.