ams on the African coast, which suggest the idea of malaria and the
whole family of low fevers. It glided through a mangrove swamp, where
the tree seemed to be standing on their roots, which served the purpose
of stilts to keep them out of the mud. The river was oily, and
sluggish, and hot-looking, and its mud-banks were slimy and liquid, so
that it was not easy to say whether the water of the river was mud, or
the mud on the bank was water. It was a place that made one
involuntarily think of creeping monsters, and crawling objects, and
slimy things!

"Look! oh! oh! such a darling pet!" exclaimed Ailie, as they stood near
the banks of this river wondering what monster would first cleave the
muddy waters, and raise its hideous head. She pointed to the bough of a
dead tree near which they stood, and on which sat the "darling pet"
referred to. It was a very small monkey with white whiskers; a dumpy
little thing, that looked at them with an expression of surprise quite
equal in intensity to their own.

Seeing that it was discovered, the "darling pet" opened its little
mouth, and uttered a succession of "Ohs!" that rendered Ailie's
exclamations quite insignificant by comparison. They were sharp and
short, and rapidly uttered, while, at the same time, two rows of most
formidable teeth were bared, along with the gums that held them.

At this Ailie and her companion burst into a fit of irrepressible
laughter, whereupon the "darling pet" put itself into such a passion--
grinned, and coughed, and gasped, and shook the tree, and writhed, and
glared, to such an extent that Glynn said he thought it would burst, and
Ailie agreed that it was very likely. Finding that this terrible
display of fury had no effect on the strangers, the "darling pet" gave
utterance to a farewell shriek of passion, and, bounding nimbly into the
woods, disappeared.

"Oh, _what_ a funny beast," said Ailie, sitting down on a stone, and
drying her eyes, which had filled with tears from excessive laughter.

"Indeed it was," said Glynn. "It's my opinion that a monkey is the
funniest beast in the world."

"No, Glynn; a kitten's funnier," said Ailie, with a degree of emphasis
that showed she had considered the subject well, and had fully made up
her mind in regard to it long ago. "I think a kitten's the _very_
funniest beast in all the whole world."

"Well, perhaps it is," said Glynn thoughtfully.

"Did you ever see _three_ kittens together?" aske