was a strong, full-grown animal; that he was the leader of the pack,
and that the others, for some unaccountable reason, were afraid of
him, and ready to acknowledge that he was their master.

And so Jinks, having chosen his position, kept it. And this was not
the only thing he chose and kept. He chose several wives from the
pack, and took care to have the best and youngest, no matter how much
he had to fight for them, or how much the others resented it. He was
quite willing to prove his right to them by as many fights as might be
needed; but if he fancied a wife he never rested until he had won her,
and then woe betide anyone who so much as looked at her.

But it was not long before the pack knew better than to dispute Jinks'
will; he was a splendid leader, daring, brave and as full of pluck and
cunning as any jackal could wish.

So he reigned supreme for many years, and fine doings there were
sometimes among the pack.

[Illustration: "JINKS WAS NEVER SO HAPPY AS WHEN HE WAS LEADING HIS
PACK."]

Jinks' pack was the largest for miles round, and numbered over two
hundred animals, not to speak of young pups. He had quite a large
family of his own by this time, for a jackal mother generally has four
or five pups at a time, and Jinks had a good many wives. He was proud
of them all, in his way, but he cared more for the chase and hunting
expeditions than anything else, and was never so happy as when he was
leading his pack either after sheep and antelopes, or taking it to
visit some of the farm-houses, towns or villages in search of food.