to a tree, and was sunning himself on the edge of a cliff,

from the top of which he had a fine view of the valley

and the rugged precipices that hemmed it in.

Just in front of the spot on which he sat, the precipices

on the opposite side of the gorge rose to a considerable

height above him, so that their ragged outlines were

drawn sharply across the clear sky. Dick was gazing

in dreamy silence at the jutting rocks and dark caverns,

and speculating on the probable number of bears that

dwelt there, when a slight degree of restlessness on the