smother;
The bloody foam above the bars came whisking through the
air;
Said Francis then, "Faith, gentlemen, we're better here
than there." 20

De Lorge's love o'erheard the king, a beauteous lively
dame,
With smiling lips and sharp bright eyes which always
seemed the same;
She thought, "The count, my lover, is brave as brave can 5
be;
He surely would do wondrous things to show his love of me;
King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine;
I'll drop my glove to prove his love; great glory will be
mine." 10

She dropped her glove, to prove his love, then looked at
him and smiled;
He bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild;
The leap was quick, return was quick, he has regained his
place, 15
Then threw the glove, but not with love, right in the lady's
face.
"By Heaven," said Francis, "rightly done!" and he rose
from where he sat;
"No love," quoth he, "but vanity, sets love a task like 20
that."

1. Where did this incident take place? How do you
know?

2. Imagine yourself in a seat near King Francis.
Tell what is happening in the arena. Make your
description vivid.

3. What is your opinion of the lady? Did De Lorge
treat her properly? In answering this, consider the
fact that he did the rash act simply as gallantry.
What could he have done instead of going among the
lions? Why did he choose to go?

4. Leigh Hunt (1784-1859) was an English poet,
essayist, and critic. Most of his poetry is witty
and clever.

HOW BUCK WON THE BET

BY JACK LONDON

Buck was a cross between St. Bernard and Scotch
shepherd bloods, and a wonderful dog he was. He
made a name for himself in Alaska, during the
Klondike gold rush, and his owner, Thornton, was
envied by all the miners in that land where dogs
take the place of horses. Thornton once boasted
that Buck could pull a thousand pounds on a
sled--break it out and "mush," or draw, it a
hundred