s of the dragon-tree, and commenced drawing
myself upward. The branch was just as high as I could reach with my
hands--even when held up in the arms of the tall sailor--and it was no
easy matter to raise my body up to it; but during the voyage I had
learned to climb like a monkey, and, after some twisting and wriggling,
I succeeded in gaining a lodgment among the limbs of the tree.

Meanwhile Ben was as busy as myself in making the ascent. He had
resigned his hold of me, as soon as he perceived that I caught the
branch; and was now using all his energies, and all his craft too, to
get out of the way of the lion. Unfortunately the limbs of the tree
were too high for him to lay hold of, and he was compelled to resort to
a different mode of climbing. Of course, the trunk was by far too thick
for him to get his arms around it and climb by hugging--he might as
readily have hugged a wall. Fortunately, however, the bark was full of
irregularities--little knots and notches, the scars of the old
leaf-marks, that had long ago fallen off, with some larger holes, where,
perhaps, whole branches had been broken off by the wind. The quick eye
of the sailor at once perceived the advantage of these marks--which
would serve him as steps--and kicking off his shoes, he clutched the
trunk both with fingers and toes, and commenced climbing upward like a
cat.

It was sharp work, and he was obliged to take a little time and make it
sure. Had he lost balance and fallen back, he would not have had time
to make a second attempt before the lion should arrive upon the ground;
and, well knowing this, he held on with "teeth and toe-nail."

By good fortune I had now squared myself face downward upon the branch,
and as the collar of Ben's guernsey came within reach of my hand I was
able to give him a help; so that the next moment he succeeded in getting
hold of a limb, and swinging himself into the fork of the tree.

It was a close shave, however; for just as Ben drew his dangling feet
among the branches the lion reached the ground, and, bounding upwards,
struck his paw fiercely against the trunk, causing the bark to fly off
in large pieces. There was not three inches between the tips of his
claws and the soles of Ben's feet as this stroke was given; and had he
succeeded in grasping the ankle of my companion, it would have been the
last bit of climbing poor Brace would ever have made; for the paw of the
lion is like a hand, and he could easi