nk you could cut 'em in slices same as pies. And it
was so still you could a-heard a mouse sneezing half a mile off. The
rattling all over him of Boston's weepons sounded like there was
boilers getting rivetted close by.

The Hen yanked him along easy, but kept him a-moving--and passed the
time for him by telling all she could make up about what desprit
critters lions was. Starting from where his car was side-tracked, they
went round the deepo; and then down the wagon-road pretty near to the
bridge, but not so near he could see it; and then across through the
sage-brush and clumps of mesquite till they come to the river--where
there was a break in the bluff, and a flat place going on down into
the water that looked like it was the beginning of a ford. For a fact,
it was where the Mexican women come to do their clothes-washing, and
just back from the river was a little 'dobe house--flat-topped, and
the size and shape of a twelve-foot-square dry-goods box--the women
kept their washing things in. But them was particulars the Hen didn't
happen to mention to Boston at the time.

When they come to the 'dobe she give him a jerk, to show him he was to
stand still there; and then she grabbed him close up to her, so she
could whisper, and says: "It was here that Mr. Smith saw the ferocious
animal's foot-marks almost precisely four hours ago. The habits of
these creatures are so regular, as Mr. Smith mentioned, that this one
certainly will return for his next drink when the four hours are
ended--and so may be upon us at any moment. I hope that we may see him
coming. If he saw us before we saw him--well, it wouldn't be nice at
all!"

The Hen let that soak in a little; and then she snuggled up to Boston,
all sort of shivery, and says: "I wish that we had taken the
precaution to ask Mr. Smith from which direction the tracks came.
These lions, you know, have a dreadful way of stealing up close to you
and then springing! That was what happened to that poor young man. So
far as was known, his first notice of his peril was finding himself
crushed to the ground beneath the creature's weight--and the next
instant it was tearing him with its teeth and claws. I--I begin to
wish I hadn't come!" And the Hen snuggled up closer and shivered
bad.

Boston seemed to be doing some shivers on his own account, judging
from the way his guns rattled; and his teeth was so chattery his
talking come queer. But he managed to get out that if they was in