said Clive.

"Well?" said David.

"I don't know," said Clive.

"I don't know," said David.

"What shall we do?" said Clive.

David shook his head. Then, looking down the opening once more, he
again raised his eyes, and fixing them with an awful look on Clive,
he said, in a dismal tone,--

"It's not a brigand!"

"No," said Clive, "I don't think it is, either."

David looked down again; then he looked up at Clive with the same
expression, and said in the same dismal tone as before,--

"Clive!"

"Well?"

"_It's a wild beast!_"

Clive looked back at David with eyes that expressed equal horror,
and said not a word.

"Don't you think so?" asked David.

"Yes," said Clive.

Then:--

"How can we get down?" said David.
do. said Clive.

"I, don't know!" said David.
do. said Clive.

Once more the boys put their heads down to the hole and listened.
The noises were soon renewed--such noises as,--
Snapping, with variations.
cracking, " do.
deep-breathing, " do.
scratching, " do.
sighing, " do.
yawning, " do.
growling, " do.
grunting, " do.
smacking, " do.
thumping, " do.
jerking, " do.
rattling, " do.
pushing, with variations,
sliding, " do.
shaking, " do.
jerking, " do.
twitching, " do.
groaning, " do.
pattering, " do.
rolling, " do.
rubbing, " do.
together with many more of a similar character, all of which went
to indicate to the minds of both of the boys the presence in that
lower chamber, and close by that pile of fagots, of some animal,
in a state of wakefulness, restlessness, and, as they believed, of
vigilant watchfulness and ferocity.

"I wonder how it got there," said David. "That olive grove--that's
it--O, that's it. He saw us come in here, and followed us."

"I don't know," said Clive. "He may have been among the fagots when
we came in, and our coming has waked him."

"I wonder that the guide didn't warn us."

"O, he never thought, I suppose."

"No; he thought we would keep by the path, and go straight to the
hotel."

"What fools we were!"

"Well, it can't be helped now."

"I wonder what it is," said Clive, after another anxious pause.

"A wild beast," said David, dismally.

"Of course; but what kind of a one?"

"It may be a wolf."

"I wonder if there are many wolves about here."

"Wolves? Of course. All Italy is fall of them."