ther?" said Dick, as they climbed on,
each step bringing them to a more toilsome way.

"Probably a dozen feet, and a good deal thicker than my arm," replied
Mr Rogers. "I should like to see one seize its prey, though, and watch
the whole course of its constricting and swallowing the animal it has
caught. And now, boys, I think we will go up as far as the end of this
narrow pass, and then turn back and close the camp for the evening."

They went to the end, always rising, with the scenery growing wilder and
more grand at every step; and at last Mr Rogers paused.

"Oh, let's go up to the top now," cried Dick eagerly.

"You can, boys; but make haste," said their father.

"The top" was the edge of a ridge some four hundred feet above their
heads, and as Mr Rogers sat down to rest, the boys climbed on, finding
the difficulties of the ascent greater than they had expected; but they
kept on, manfully helped by Coffee and Chicory, who were always ready to
push, to pull, or hold a rifle, and in this way they reached what proved
to be quite a narrow edge, with some jagged pinnacles on their right,
and a steep slope in front. But what took their attention most was an
eagle in full pursuit of a lovely little slender-legged gazelle, which
was straining every effort as it came up a long narrow defile to escape
from its terrible enemy.

The gazelle was quite a hundred yards below them to their left as they
saw it first, and they watched its progress with a fascinated interest
as it came nearer as if to pass them, with the eagle gliding along over
it as it bounded along, and then making dart after dart at it with its
tremendous claws.

The eagle looked as huge as the gazelle looked graceful and tiny; and
each moment the boys made sure that it was struck, but the baffled eagle
rose again and again for another swoop, till, unable to bear it longer,
Dick threw himself upon his face, rested his rifle upon the ridge in
front, took a careful aim, fired; and Jack shouted "Hurray!" for as the
smoke rose, and the echoes died away in the distance, the eagle could be
seen lying flapping its wings upon the ground, raising a cloud of dust
about it, and the gazelle disappeared round some rocks; while Coffee and
Chicory, kiri in hand, were sliding down the rocky face of the
precipice, to cross a narrow chasm below, bent upon finishing the
monstrous bird's struggles with the kiris they grasped in their hands.

The place they descended was a