f no lions apout here," said the old man, "to gom und shdeal mein
gattle?--Ah, vot ist das?" he cried, turning pale as he heard a peculiar
noise from somewhere close at hand. Quigg! "You ged der goon und
shoot, or der lion gom und preak von of der oxen's pack."

"It's all right," cried Dyke, laughing. "Come and look here."

The old man looked rather wild and strange, for, as Dyke threw open a
rough door in the side of one of the sheds, the two lion cubs, now
growing fast towards the size of a retriever dog, came bounding out.

"Ach! shdop. Do not led them ead der poor alter pecause he is zo nice
und vat. Eh, dey will not hurt me?"

"No!" cried Dyke; "look here: they are as tame and playful as kittens."

Dyke proved it by dropping on his knees and rolling the clumsy, heavy
cubs over, letting them charge him and roll him over in turn.

"Ach! id is vonterful," said the old man, wiping the perspiration from
his face. "I did tought dey vas go to eat den alt man. You make dem
dame like dot mit dem jambok."

"With a whip? No," cried Dyke; "with kindness. Look here: pat them and
pull their ears. They never try to bite. You should see them play
about with the dog."

"Boor liddle vellows den," said the old man, putting out his hand
nervously. "Ach, no; id is doo bat, you liddle lion. Vot you mean py
schmell me all over? I am nod for you do ead."

Dyke laughed, for the cubs turned away and sneezed. They did not
approve of the tobacco.

"There, come along," he cried; and the cubs bounded to him. "I'll shut
them up for fear they should frighten your oxen."

"Das is goot," said the old man with a sigh of satisfaction, as he saw
the door closed upon the two great playful cats. "Bood you zhall mind,
or zom day I zhall gom ant zee you, but vind you are not ad home, vor
die young lion haf grow pig und ead you all oop."

"Yes," said Emson; "we shall have to get rid of them before very long.
They may grow dangerous some day."

"Ach! I dell you vot, mein vrient Emzon, I puy dose lion ov you, or you
led me shell dem, to go do Angland or do Sharmany."

"Do you think you could?"

"Do I dink I good? Ja, I do drade in effery dings. I gom now to puy
iffory und vedders. You shell me all you vedders, und I gif you good
brice."

"I have a very poor lot, Morgenstern, but I'll sell them to you. Dyke
and I have done very badly."

"Zo? Bood you will zell do me. I zaid do myself I vould go und zee
mein vrient