THE COWARDLY COUGAR 



Inch by inch we ascended, and for every 

 moment of distress we had caused that crea- 

 ture, she caused us two. Halfway to the top, 

 she was breathing heavily, possibly from re- 

 strained laughter, so we laid her in the shade 

 and Fred went down to the creek and brought 

 up a hatful of water. We poured it in her face ; 

 she gargled it and mastered her amusement. 



The pole broke and we had to shorten it, 

 which rendered the affair more difficult; we 

 strained up the face of cliffs and over bare 

 ledges, where we sunk our nails in and clawed 

 until the sparks flew. At six o'clock we 

 topped out. We had been only three hours 

 coming up. 



If I were asked to choose between repeating 

 that performance and toting a grand piano 

 up the Palisades of the Hudson River, I would 

 unhesitatingly choose the piano. 



By now we had formed the habit of going on 

 all fours and had to learn how to walk up- 

 right. The lioness was thirsty again, and in- 

 asmuch as the dogs were still tied down in the 

 canon, Ambrose offered to play Gunga Din 

 to the cougar while we returned for the pack. 



We had left Paul with the dogs. When we 

 reappeared he voiced an unfeeling inquiry as 



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