Don listened, and heard a faint hail.

"They're coming along searching for us, I suppose."

"I didn't mean that sound; I meant this. There, listen again."

Don took a step into the cave, but went no farther, for Jem gripped his
arm.

"Take care, my lad. 'Tarn't safe. Hear that noise?"

"Yes; it is like some animal breathing hard."

"And we've got no pistols nor cutlashes. It's a lion, I know."

"There are no lions here, Jem."

"Arn't there? Then it's a tiger. I know un. I've seen 'em. Hark!"

"But there are no tigers, nor any other fierce beasts here, Jem."

"Now, how can you be so obstinate, Mas' Don, when you can hear 'em
whistling, and sighing and breathing hard right in yonder. No, no, not
a step farther do you go."

"Don't be so foolish, Jem."

"'Tarn't foolish, Mas' Don; and look here: I'm going to take advantage
of them being asleep to put on my proper costoom, and if you'll take my
advice, you'll do just the same."

Don hesitated, but Jem took advantage of a handy seat-like piece of
rock, and altered his dress rapidly, an example that, after a moment or
two of hesitation, Don followed.

"Dry as a bone," said Jem. "Come, that's better. I feels like a human
being now. Just before I felt like a chap outside one of the shows at
our fair."

He doubled up the blanket he had been wearing, and threw it over his
arm; while Don folded his, and laid it down, so that he could peer over
the edge of the shelf, and command the entrance to the ravine.

But all was perfectly silent and deserted, and, after waiting some time,
he rose, and went a little way inside the cavern.

"Don't! Don't be so precious rash, Mas' Don," cried Jem pettishly, as,
urged on by his curiosity, Don went slowly, step by step, toward what
seemed to be a dark blue veil of mist, which shut off farther view into
the cave.

"I don't think there's anything to mind, or they wouldn't have told us
to hide here."

"But you don't know, my lad. There may be dangerous wild critters in
there as you never heard tell on. Graffems, and dragons, and beasts
with stings in their tails--cockatoos."

"Nonsense! Cockatrices," said Don laughing.

"Well, it's all the same. Now, do be advised, Mas' Don, and stop here."

"But I want to know what it's like farther in."

Don went slowly forward into the dim mist, and Jem followed, murmuring
bitterly at his being so rash.

"Mind!" he cried suddenly, as a louder whistle than ordinary ca