366 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



there should be any angels, whether my predicament does 

 not remind them something of {he young Hebrew they saw 

 in the lion's den, three thousand cycles ago except that I 

 am a trifle higher up than he was. But lions didn't climb 

 then. I believe they haven't learned yet so well as panthers 

 cases mightily alike, anyhow ! The angels pitied him, for 

 they are said to be very compassionate ; and maybe they'd 

 pity me, too, if I were not such an unmitigated sinner, and 

 didn't feel ashamed to ask their pity. I have no hope in 

 that direction, for I never believed in them ; though it would 

 be a comfort now. I have sneered like a devil about their 

 " harping on their harps," when they had never done me any 

 harm and I didn't want their help even if I was to be 

 overtaken with a belief in them now I don't fancy such 

 times as this for repentance and begging don't think they 

 would either. 



Roar away down there that's right ! Saturnalia of the 

 grizzly fiends ! That's the music for the brave Sceptic ! His 

 religion is to hate and to defy ! Pooh ! I'm getting a little 

 cracked, I believe, and sleepy, too. Ticklish place this, to 

 dream, unless it is of hugging ! Wonder what effect Mrs. 

 Mab's chariot wheels, driven athwart one's nose, would have 

 upon dreams up here ? Warrant .her "time out of mind coach 

 makers," "joiner squirrel and old grub," are plenty enough 

 out this way. Ha ! ha ! to think of her " team of atomies" 

 galloping across the panther's snout. 



Plague this unruly member ! I can't keep it from prating 

 about God ! I'd like to know how high the Doctor roosts 

 to-night ? I'm afraid that it is in Abraham's bosom ! I 

 wonder if he has pony with him? Pity he couldn't have 

 had a bear-steak, with honey, before he went ; I think he'd 

 have gone without a murmur then. But they say that 

 milk and honey flow through the streets up there no 

 account of bears though, Sleep ! " balmy sleep ! tired 



