st, and
crouched down among the leaves, only uttering a low moaning whine every
now and then. I was fairly at my wits' end what to do, when all of a
sudden I caught sight of something that gave me a gleam of hope.

A little way ahead of us the river narrowed suddenly, and a rocky
headland thrust itself out a good way into the stream. On one of the
lowest points of it grew a thick clump of trees, whose boughs overhung
the water; and it struck me that if we only passed near enough, I might
manage to catch hold of one of the branches, and swing myself up on to
the rock.

No sooner said than done. I started up, hardly caring whether the lion
attacked me or not, and planted myself firmly upon one of the biggest
roots, where I could take a good spring when the time came. I knew that
this would be my last chance, for by this time we were so near the
precipice that I could see quite plainly, a little way ahead, the great
cloud of spray and vapor that hovered over the great water-fall. Even at
the best it was a desperate venture, and I can tell you that I felt my
heart beginning to thump like a sledge-hammer as we came closer and
closer to the point, and I thought of what would happen if I missed my
leap.

Just as we neared it, it happened, by the special mercy of God, that our
tree struck against something, and turned fairly crosswise to the
current, the end with the lion on it swinging out into mid-stream, while
my end was driven close to the rock on which the clump of trees grew.

Now or never! I made one spring (I don't think I ever made such another
before or since), and just clutched the lowest bough; and as I dragged
myself on to it I heard the last roar of the doomed lion mingling with
the thunder of the water-fall, as he vanished into the cloud of mist
that overhung the precipice.

As for me, it was late enough that night before I got home, and I found
my poor wife in a fine fright about me; so I thought it just as well, on
the whole, to keep my adventure to myself, and it wasn't till nearly a
year later that she heard a word about my strange fellow-voyager.

EASY BOTANY.

MARCH.

The delightful science of botany treats of the forms and habits of
plants.

This study leads the steps away from the busy town to the quiet woods
and hills, giving a charm to every stroll, and making for each young
student hosts of friends whose sweet faces will greet him through life
with unaltering truth and beauty.

Ga