ee the massive head of a great lion who was regarding them from
beyond a rocky projection at the first turning of the gorge.

"Phew!" he exclaimed, "the beggars are everywhere."

"They do not go far from water do they," asked the girl hopefully.

"I should imagine not," he replied; "a lion is not particularly
strong on endurance."

"Then he is a harbinger of hope," she exclaimed.

The man laughed. "Cute little harbinger of hope!" he said. "Reminds
me of Cock Robin heralding spring."

The girl cast a quick glance at him. "Don't be silly, and I don't
care if you do laugh. He fills me with hope."

"It is probably mutual," replied Smith-Oldwick, "as we doubtless
fill him with hope."

The lion evidently having satisfied himself as to the nature of
the creatures before him advanced slowly now in their direction.

"Come," said the man, "let's climb aboard," and he helped the girl
over the side of the ship.

"Can't he get in here?" she asked.

"I think he can," said the man.

"You are reassuring," she returned.

"I don't feel so." He drew his pistol.

"For heaven's sake," she cried, "don't shoot at him with that thing.
You might hit him."

"I don't intend to shoot at him but I might succeed in frightening
him away if he attempts to reach us here. Haven't you ever seen a
trainer work with lions? He carries a silly little pop-gun loaded
with blank cartridges. With that and a kitchen chair he subdues
the most ferocious of beasts."

"But you haven't a kitchen chair," she reminded him.

"No," he said, "Government is always muddling things. I have always
maintained that airplanes should be equipped with kitchen chairs."

Bertha Kircher laughed as evenly and with as little hysteria as
though she were moved by the small talk of an afternoon tea.

Numa, the lion, came steadily toward them; his attitude seemed
more that of curiosity than of belligerency. Close to the side of
the ship he stopped and stood gazing up at them.

"Magnificent, isn't he?" exclaimed the man.

"I never saw a more beautiful creature," she replied, "nor one with
such a dark coat. Why, he is almost black."

The sound of their voices seemed not to please the lord of the
jungle, for he suddenly wrinkled his great face into deep furrows
as he bared his fangs beneath snarling lips and gave vent to an
angry growl. Almost simultaneously he crouched for a spring and
immediately Smith-Oldwick discharged his pistol into the ground in
front of th