ce of the particular clump of blooms to be
photographed at close quarters, with Earle standing in the midst of them
to show their enormous size. This was an even more lengthy process than
the other; but at length everything was ready, and Earle, leaving Dick
standing by the camera, strode across the few yards of intervening
space, and proceeded to climb upon one of the monster leaves preparatory
to posing himself. He did this by pressing the point of the leaf down
to the ground and then stepping on it and walking up its centre,
intending to pose himself at the junction of the leaf with its massive
stalk, in which position he would be able to stand quite close to the
enormous flower which was to be the principal object in the proposed
picture.

But when Earle had traversed a little more than half the length of the
huge leaf, it suddenly curled up and, to Dick's horror, completely
enveloped the adventurous American's form, round which it tightly
enfolded itself, while a half-smothered cry for help issued from its
folds.

Leaving the camera where it was, Dick rushed forward, drawing his heavy
hunting knife from its sheath as he did so, and dashing in, began to
hack desperately at the stem of the leaf, believing that if he could
sever it from its parent plant, he would be able to deliver his friend
from its stifling embrace. But he soon found that, stout as was the
blade he was wielding, and strong as was the arm that wielded it, he
could do little or nothing against the marvellously tough stem which he
was attempting to sever. It was as thick as his own leg and so hard and
slippery that the keen blade simply slithered along it instead of biting
into it; and realising his helplessness, he rushed out into the open,
where he could be seen and heard from the camp, and yelled to Inaguy and
Peter to bring axes, and for the rest of the men to bring along
machetes.

There was a note of urgency in Dick's stentorian tones which caused all
hands instantly to drop what they were doing and rush to his call; but
it was nearly ten minutes before the stubborn stalk yielded to the
desperate onslaught made upon it; and when at length it drooped to the
ground and the party threw themselves upon it, it cost them another
arduous five minutes to slit the tough, leather-like fibre of the leaf
apart and haul out the imprisoned and, by that time, insensible body of
their leader.

By Dick's direction they carried Earle's body to the camp,