124 FRUIT R.WCIIIXG. 



a minute; but don't let Bonnie slacken her pace." So 

 saying, he flung one leg over the seat behind him. 



"You're not going to get out, Albert? You've 

 got no gun," cried Mrs. Stephens, in tones of 

 terror. " It will tear you to pieces." For some time 

 her mind had been busily picturing the ferocity of a 

 grizzly, a cinnamon bear, a mountain lion, a lynx. 



"All right, Bessie, don't worry!" said her hus- 

 band. By this he was heaving up the carcass of 

 mutton, and the next moment Mrs. Stcpiicns heard 

 a dull thud as it dropped on the road behind the 

 waggijn. 



" Perhaps that will keep it busy for a bit," said 

 Stephens, as he climbed back over the seat, and took 

 the reins out of his wife's hands. 



And the stratagem — the sop to Cerberus — did keep 

 it busy for — three minutes or so, not longer. Then 

 the two terrified travellers once more heard the 

 mysterious beast snorting along in their wake. But 

 by this they were within some half-mile of the settle- 

 ment they were making for. I^efore they had gone 

 another quarter of a mile, to their intense relief, their 

 pursuer suddenlv stopped, and they heard no more 

 of it. 



On reaching the settlement they eagerly related 

 the details of their adventure. The men of the settle- 

 ment, not relishing the proximity of such a dangerous 

 customer, at once armed themselves, and taking with 

 them a good dog, set off to hunt and kill the ferocious 

 beast. The dog soon ran on ahead of them. They 

 advanced nearly a mile without either seeing or 

 hearing anvthing of the animal which had so terrified 

 Albert Stephens and his wife. Then they came upon 



