that he stopped short and waited for Mark to
come up, terrified as he was, and then sent him on first, while he
covered him from behind.

Neither spoke for some time, but, regardless of direction, ran where
they could, but oftener walked, or even crept, through the dense forest,
always with the sensation that the huge beast that had uttered that
frightful roar was crashing through the trees on their track.

By degrees though they recovered their confidence somewhat, gradually
realising that there was no sound behind them, and at last they paused
panting and exhausted to wipe the perspiration from their brows, and
listen.

"Hear it coming, Mr Mark, sir?"

"No," said Mark after a few moments, "I can hear nothing."

"Jim-a-ny!" panted Billy, "think of us a-going to sleep in his hole.
Oh, Mr Mark, sir, what an awful beast! I thought he'd ha' had me. I
was that scared I couldn't let go for a moment."

"Did you hurt yourself much?"

"Hurt myself! I should think I did. I must have half my bones broken.
But what a roar!"

"What was it like?"

"Like, sir! Oh, I can't tell you what it was like."

"What! didn't you see it?"

"Don't you talk so loud, my lad, or we shall have him arter us."

"No, I won't, Billy; but did you see it?"

"'Cause, if we gets it arter us, it's all over."

"Yes, yes, I know that; but I want to know what sort of a beast it was.
Did you see it?"

"Did you hear it roar, Mr Mark, sir?" said Billy, still fencing with
the question.

"Of course I did. What was it like?"

"Well, you see, I didn't, as I may say, exactly see it, Master Mark,
sir, so I wouldn't venture to say what it was like."

"But you saw something?"

"Well, I won't deceive you, Mr Mark, sir; I didn't see nothing."

"I wish you had, Billy. But what an escape! The thing must have been
asleep when we went there last night, and did not wake till we came
away. But we've found out its hole."

"Yes," said Billy, dolefully, as he rubbed one leg; "we've found out its
hole, Mr Mark, sir, only, as you may say where is it?"

"Why, we could find our way back there, surely?"

"I don't believe nobody could find their way. I can't, sir. You're
always going where you don't want, and turning up somewhere else. I
feel like the needle in the bottle of hay, sir, and give it up."

Mark stood listening, but all was still.

"Shall we go back and try if we can see it?" he whispered.

"Go back! Now, my dear lad, don't. Don't