Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/231

 THROUGH THE FOREST. 203 " this wood is a great park. As the Indians say, * Es como el Pariso ; ' ît îs lîke Paradise." Jack persisted, — '* There must be snakes, and lions, and tigers." " Ask your mamma, my boy," said Harris, ** whether she ever heard of lions and tigers in America ? " Mrs. Weldon was endeavouring to put her little boy at his ease on this point, when Cousin Benedict interposed, sayîng that although there were no lions or tigers, there were plenty of jaguars and panthers in the New World. "And won*t they kill us ?" demanded Jack eagerly, his appréhensions once more aroused. "Kill you?" laughed Harris ; " why, your friend Her- cules hère could strangle them, two at a time, one in each hand !" " But, please, don't let the panthers come near me !" pleaded Jack, evidently alarmed. " No, no, Master Jack, they shall not come near you. I will give them a good grip first," and the giant displayed his two rows of huge white teeth. Dick Sands proposed that it should be the four younger negroes who should be assigned the task of keepîng watch during the nîght, in attendance upon himself ; but Actaeon insisted so strongly upon the necessity of Dîck's having his full share of rest, that the others were soon brought to the same conviction, and Dick was obliged to yield. Jack valiantly announced his intention of taking one watch, but his sleepy eyelids made it only too plain that he did not know the extent of his own fatigue. " Only such wolves as Dingo would swallow at a mouth- ful," said Harris. " But I am sure there are wolves," he insisted, repeating the word " wolves " again and ag.iin, until he tumbled off to sleep against the side of old Nan. Mrs. Weldon gave her little son a silent kiss ; ît was her loving " good nîght" Cousin Benedict was mîssing. Some little time before, he had slipped away in search of "cocuyos," or fire-flies, which he had heard were common in South America.
 * I am sure there are wolves hère," he said.