e part of Lawrence,
who appeared to be sleeping soundly, but who might at any moment awaken.
Yussuf, however, was ready to meet the emergency, for he slowly
continued to advance with his staff thrown back and held ready to
strike, while, as he came nearer, the serpent seemed to accept the
challenge, and crawled slowly forward, till it was upon a level with the
lad's hips.

That was near enough for Yussuf, who noted how Lawrence's hands were
well out of danger, being beneath his head.

He hesitated no longer, but advanced quickly, his companions watching
his movements with the most intense interest, till the serpent raised
itself higher, threw back its head, and seemed about to throw itself
upon its advancing enemy.

The rest was done in a flash, for there was a loud _whizz_ in the air as
Yussuf's staff swept over Lawrence, striking the serpent, rapid as was
its action, low down in the body, and the virulent little creature,
broken and helpless, was driven over the edge of the precipice to fall
far away among the bushes below.

"Hallo! what's that?" cried Lawrence, starting up. "Oh, you've got
here, then."

"Yes; we are here, my lad," cried the professor, catching one hand, as
the old lawyer took the other. "Are you much hurt?"

"Only stiff and shaken. Ali made such a tremendous leap--I don't know
how far it was; and then he came down like an india-rubber ball, and
bounded again and again till he could find good foothold, and then we
slipped slowly till we could stop here, and it seemed as if we could go
no farther."

"What an escape!" muttered Mr Burne, looking up.

"Oh, it wasn't there," said Lawrence patting his little horse's neck.
"It must have been quite a quarter of a mile from here. But how did you
come?"

Yussuf explained, and then Mr Preston looked aghast at the rock they
had climbed over.

"Why, we shall have to leave the pony," he said.

"Oh, no, effendi," replied Yussuf; "leave him to me. He can climb like
a goat."

And so it proved, for the brave little beast, as soon as it was led to
the task by the rein passed over its head, climbed after Yussuf, and in
fact showed itself the better mountaineer of the two, while, after the
rock was surmounted, and a descent made upon the other side, it followed
its master in the arduous walk, slipping and gliding down the
torrent-bed when they reached it, till at last they reached the greater
stream, which to their delight had fallen to its regular s