44 BElKia LOST IN THE FOREST. 
third steps on their bodies, and clasping the 
second, makes another link in the chain. 
This goes on until the chain is long enough 
to reach across the river, and then the last 
monkey swings himself upwards, and by a 
violent effort grasps the tree on the opposite 
bank. Over this living bridge the rest of 
the monkeys cross, and the danger of falling 
into the stream does not prevent them giving 
each other sundry nips and pinches. When 
all are safely landed, the monkej^ that made 
the first link lets go his hold, and the bridge 
falls gently down upon the opposite bank. 
The trees in which the monkeys were 
chattering were loaded with cocoa nuts; and, 
as the soldier was very hungry, he longed to 
get some of them to eat. He intended to 
make the monkeys throw them down to him ; 
and began to pelt them with stones, knowing 
very well that they would pelt him with nuts 
in return. And so they did, — pulling them 
off the trees, and flinging them at him with 
all their might. He contrived to dodge out 
of the way and escape a broken head ; and 
then picked up his nuts and ran off with them. 
The forest became wilder and wilder, and 
