would be dangerous to sleep on the
ground. Here they made a sort of stage or platform among the branches,
which was converted into a comfortable couch by being strewn six inches
deep with leaves. Only one at a time dared venture to sleep, however,
for creatures that could climb had to be guarded against. At first this
was a light duty, but as time passed by it became extremely irksome, and
when Larry was awakened by Will to take his second spell of watching, he
vented his regrets in innumerable grunts, growls, coughs, and gasps,
while he endeavoured to rub his eyes open with his knuckles.

"Have a care, lad," said Will, with a sleepy laugh as he lay down; "the
tigers will mistake your noise for an invitation to--"

A snore terminated the speech.

"Bad luck to them," yawned Larry, endeavouring to gaze round him. In
less than a minute his chin fell forward on his breast, and he began to
tumble backwards. Awaking with a start under the impression that he was
falling off the tree, he threw out both his arms violently and recovered
himself.

"Come, Larry," he muttered to himself, with a facetious smile of the
most idiotical description, "don't give way like that, boy. Ain't ye
standin' sintry? an' it's death by law to slaip at yer post. Och! but
the eyes o' me won't kape open. Lean yer back agin that branch to kape
ye from fallin'. There--now howld up like a man--like a--man--ould--
b-o-oy." His words came slower and slower, until, at the last, his head
dropped forward on his chest, and he fell into a profound sleep, to the
immense delight of a very small monkey which had been watching his
motions for some time, and which now ventured to approach and touch the
various articles that lay beside the sleepers, with intense alarm, yet
with fiendish glee, depicted on its small visage.

Thus some hours of the night were passed, but before morning the rest of
the sleepers was rudely broken by one of the most appalling roars they
had yet heard. They were up and wide awake instantly, with their guns
ready and fingers on the triggers!

"It's draimin' we must have--"

A rustling in the branches overhead checked him, and next moment the
roar was repeated. Larry, with an irresistible feeling of alarm, echoed
it and fired right above his head--doing nothing more serious, however,
than accelerating the flight of the already horrified monkey. The shot
was followed by another roar, which ended in something like a hideous