HiSET Reading Practice Test

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”