' HELD UP ' BY A CARIBOU STAG 



165 



the slender tree began to slowly bend downwards beneath his 

 weight ! Inch by inch, lower and lower, the tree swayed and bent 

 with its human freight slowly down towards the irate animal, 

 which pounded away at the bark just below the unfortunate guide. 

 It was evidently only a question of a few moments, when the man 

 would be at the mercy of the stag ; then doubtless he would be 



'THE TREE .SWAYED AND BENT WITH ITS HUMAN FREIGHT. 



torn by the dagger-like tines of the spreading antlers and, perhaps, 

 pounded out of all resemblance to human form by the terrible splayed 

 hoofs, with their knife-like edges. 



At this critical moment a heroic resolve sent Harry out into the 

 open to wage a duel to the death with the fierce animal a duel in 

 which victory meant the deliverance of his brother from a terrible 



