garments had been
nearly stripped from his person.'"

"The lion's bloodstained garments?" inquired Walter mildly.

"No, mine, of course. 'Mr. Brown, it is said, will recover from his
wounds, though he will bear the scars of the conflict the rest of his
life.' Ahem! I guess that will hold the boys on our block for a
time," finished Chunky, swelling out his chest. "Yes, that'll make
them prisoners for life," agreed Ned Rector.

"I think I shall have to edit that account before it goes to the paper,"
declared Professor Zepplin.

"How can you edit it when you didn't see the affair?" demanded Chunky.

"Editors are not supposed to see beyond the point of the pencil they
are using," answered Ned. "But they know the failings of the fellows
who do the writing."

"What do you know about it? You never were an editor," scoffed Stacy.

"No, but I'd like to be for about an hour after your article reached
the 'Gazette' office."

"How about giving that cat something to eat, Mr. Nance?" asked Tad, thus
changing the subject.

The guide shook his head.

"He wouldn't eat; at least not for a while."

"What do lions eat?" asked Walter.

"That one tried to eat me," replied Stacy. "I don't like the look in
his eye at all. It says, just as plain as if it were printed, 'I'd like
to have you served up _a-la-mode_.'"

At this juncture, Jim Nance walked over; with a burning brand in hand,
to look at the cat's fastenings. The lion jumped at him. Jim poked
the firebrand into the animal's face, which sent the cat back the
full length of his tether. After examining the fastenings carefully,
Nance pronounced them so secure that the beast would not get away.

The ponies had been tethered some distance from where the prize was
tied, the dogs being placed with the ponies so that they might not be
disturbed by the captive during the night and thus keep the camp awake
with their barks and growls.

After a time all hands went to bed, crawling into their blankets,
where they were soon fast asleep. Late in the night Nance sat up.
He thought he had heard the lion growl. Stepping to the door of the
tent he listened. Not a sound could be heard save the mysterious
whisperings of the Canyon. Jim went back to bed, not to awaken until
the sun was up on the following morning.

Tad Butler, hearing the guide rise after daylight, turned out at the
same time. Tad stepped outside, his first thought being for the
captive. The Pony Rider