"You haf been zo goot," he said; "you make me ead und trinken zo mooch, dat I gannod shoomp indo den vagon. I am zo dick. Good! You shoomp in, and get me mein bibe und dobacco din." Dyke showed him that he could; fetched it out, and after the old man had filled, lit up, and begun to form smoke-clouds, he said: "You dake me now do see if mein pullocks and my poys is ead und trink." "Oh, they're all right," cried Dyke. "Ja. Bood I always like do zee for meinzelf. Zom beobles ist nod as goot as you vas, mein vrient. A good draveller ist kind do his beast und his plack poy." The visitor was soon satisfied, for he was taken round to where Tanta Sal was smiling at her two guests, who, after making a tremendous meal, had lain down and gone to sleep, while the oxen could be seen at a distance contentedly grazing in a patch of rich grass. "You haf no lions apout here," said the old man, "to gom und shdeal mein gattle?--Ah, vot ist das?" he cried, turning pale as he heard a peculiar noise from somewhere close at hand. Quigg! "You ged der goon und shoot, or der lion gom und preak von of der oxen's pack." "It's all right," cried Dyke, laughing. "Come and look here." The old man looked rather wild and strange, for, as Dyke threw open a rough door in the side of one of the sheds, the two lion cubs, now growing fast towards the size of a retriever dog, came bounding out. "Ach! shdop. Do not led them ead der poor alter pecause he is zo nice und vat. Eh, dey will not hurt me?" "No!" cried Dyke; "look here: they are as tame and playful as kittens." Dyke proved it by dropping on his knees and rolling the clumsy, heavy cubs over, letting them charge him and roll him over in turn. "Ach! id is vonterful," said the old man, wiping the perspiration from his face. "I did tought dey vas go to eat den alt man. You make dem dame like dot mit dem jambok." "With a whip? No," cried Dyke; "with kindness. Look here: pat them and pull their ears. They never try to bite. You should see them play about with the dog." "Boor liddle vellows den," said the old man, putting out his hand nervously. "Ach, no; id is doo bat, you liddle lion. Vot you mean py schmell me all over? I am nod for you do ead." Dyke laughed, for the cubs turned away and sneezed. They did not approve of the tobacco. "There, come along," he cried; and the cubs bounded to him. "I'll shut them up for fear they should frighten your oxen." "Das is goot," said the old man with a sigh of satisfaction, as he saw the door closed upon the two great playful cats. "Bood you zhall mind, or zom day I zhall gom ant zee you, but vind you are not ad home, vor die young lion haf grow pig und ead you all oop." "Yes," said Emson; "we shall have to get rid of them before very long. They may grow dangerous some day." "Ach! I dell you vot, mein vrient Emzon, I puy dose lion ov you, or you led me shell dem, to go do Angland or do Sharmany." "Do you think you could?"