The Hen yanked him along easy, but kept him a-moving--and passed the time for him by telling all she could make up about what desprit critters lions was. Starting from where his car was side-tracked, they went round the deepo; and then down the wagon-road pretty near to the bridge, but not so near he could see it; and then across through the sage-brush and clumps of mesquite till they come to the river--where there was a break in the bluff, and a flat place going on down into the water that looked like it was the beginning of a ford. For a fact, it was where the Mexican women come to do their clothes-washing, and just back from the river was a little 'dobe house--flat-topped, and the size and shape of a twelve-foot-square dry-goods box--the women kept their washing things in. But them was particulars the Hen didn't happen to mention to Boston at the time. When they come to the 'dobe she give him a jerk, to show him he was to stand still there; and then she grabbed him close up to her, so she could whisper, and says: "It was here that Mr. Smith saw the ferocious animal's foot-marks almost precisely four hours ago. The habits of these creatures are so regular, as Mr. Smith mentioned, that this one certainly will return for his next drink when the four hours are ended--and so may be upon us at any moment. I hope that we may see him coming. If he saw us before we saw him--well, it wouldn't be nice at all!" The Hen let that soak in a little; and then she snuggled up to Boston, all sort of shivery, and says: "I wish that we had taken the precaution to ask Mr. Smith from which direction the tracks came. These lions, you know, have a dreadful way of stealing up close to you and then springing! That was what happened to that poor young man. So far as was known, his first notice of his peril was finding himself crushed to the ground beneath the creature's weight--and the next instant it was tearing him with its teeth and claws. I--I begin to wish I hadn't come!" And the Hen snuggled up closer and shivered bad. Boston seemed to be doing some shivers on his own account, judging from the way his guns rattled; and his teeth was so chattery his talking come queer. But he managed to get out that if they was inside the house they'd have more chances--and he went to work trying to open the door. When he found he couldn't--it being locked so good there was no budging it--he got worse jolted, and his breath seemed to be coming hard. The Hen got a-hold of him again and done some more shivers, and then she says: "It all will be over, one way or the other, in a very few moments now. And oh, how thankful I am--since so needlessly and so foolishly I have placed myself in this deadly peril--that I have for my protector a brave man! If salvation is possible, you will save me I am sure!"