Seeing the knees of the guide knocking together with fear, Nicholas said, "Get thee to the rear, and follow the mule, thou coward;" then, dismounting, he caught hold of the reins in the nostrils of the camels and averting his eyes from the chasm beneath, led the sure-footed beast along the platform. They had reached midway, when the wolves, with a howling concert, made their appearance at the commencement of the platform; and as Chow, who brought up the rear, led the mule, he felt the animal tremble, and fearing that if the wild brutes ventured across the platform the terrified beasts would be the means of precipitating the whole party into the abyss, he trembled with anxiety. It was a fearful situation, but the brave youth retaining his presence of mind, crept to the flanks of the mule, and only in time, for one of the wolves who had ventured along the platform, followed by the pack, received an arrow in his brain, and as he rolled over into the abyss beneath, its companions stood with their fore feet stretched forward, and their ears bent, as if astonished, when another arrow flew among them, but so intent had Chow become in this fight, that he was unconscious that the progress of the rest of the party had been stopped midway. For the cause of this we must return to Nicholas; who, as he led the camel, to his horror, saw issuing from a fissure in the rock the head of a serpent of the most venomous kind. He fixed an arrow in his bow, but a moment's thought, and he dared not fire, for should he miss the reptile it would be upon them instantly. What should he do? His sword--yes--he drew it; but then he dared not leave the camel's head, and he called to Chow, little thinking that he was in a more terrible position than himself. "Let fly thy arrow, my brother; should you miss, here is my bow," said the princess, leaning forward. Still Nicholas would not move. The situation was fearful; the wolves on one side, the deadly serpent on the other; indeed words are wanting to paint the dread anxiety and terror of all, even the animals who stood transfixed, with their hearts beating against their sides in the agony of fear. CHAPTER XXXIV. SAVED BY A MUSK-DEER.--STORIES OF WONDERFUL MOUNTAINS.