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there is not higher ground to which we may go in case of need.” “This will be dangerous work, Doc tor” replied Tomkins. “You will lose yourself in the darkness, I fear.” « There will be the light of your fire ; I cannot mistake that,” Dr. Gordon said. “That might guide your return, but not your going out,” argued Tomkins, “for, whichever way you incline, (and it is almost impossible to keep any given course in the dark,) the fire behind you will look just the same; and while you think you are going due south, as you in tend, you may sidle to the right, and be falling over the bluff into the sea before you expect it.” “You are right,” Dr. Gordon replied; “I propose, therefore, that while we are gone you keep two fires, about four rods apart. We can use them as sailors use beacons on the coast.” “That is well thought of,” Tomkins re turned with a brightening look. “The two* fires will give }~ou all needful guid ance both going and returning.” The two fires being made, and the course carefully laid down which they were to pursue, Dr. Gordon called his two companions, and set out upon his gloomy reconnoisance. For mutual support and guidance, as well as to avoid separation, they took each other by the hand, Dr. Gordon being in the midst, and Wildcat upon his right; and it was well that this expedient was adopted before they left the fire, for each soon became perfectly invisible to the others, and the loudest halloo could not be heard the distance of ten paces. Another important aid was also provided on the suggestion of Whee ler, (who said he knew what it was to grope in the dark,) without which the explorers would probably have lost their lives, it was a rod, or griping -stick, in the hand of each, with which to feel the way. Accoutred and supported thus, they began their march, stumbling over a drift ed hillock here, and running foul of a stunted cedar there, until they had gone some two hundred yards, and had satis fied themselves that several of the spots over which they had passed were a yard or two higher than the place of their en campment. They were conscious, how or, that, notwithstanding their attempts t 0 S uide themselves by the two fires, their course had been very uncertain, for the reason tliat the driving rain and mist had * oiscuied the distinctness of the fires la t at a short distance nothing was visi them except their commingled *'th alone^)Vx ) nom/n ,<? h fires ’ arran sed triangularly, two - hn/Y U V ng Wtt >’> would have been bet- Was not wood’ enoufhfor them r 'an? rd ° n k " CW that thero BURKE’S WEEKLY. light. In doubt, therefore, whether they were in the midst of the tongue of land, or upon one of its edges, they faithfully piled the groping-sticks before them at every step; and it was well indeed they did so, for as they were about to turn, at the end of their course, Wildcat suddenly uttered his Indian grunt, “Ugh!” then gripped fast hold of Dr. Gordon’s hand, crying out “Hold fast!” and immediately began to sink. The company had groped their way to the crumbling edge of the bluff, below which the dark waves from sea were beating in their fury, and so un dermining it that, at the moment Wild cat’s stick warned him of his position, the brink gave.way beneath his feet. It was as much as Dr. Gordon and Jones could do by their united strength to brace them selves against this sudden pull, while Dr. Gordon held on to the imperilled boy and called to Jones to draw them both back. And now anew danger presented itself. The light from the encampment, which had been growing dimmer and dimmer, disappeared entirely, ere they had walked two minutes on their homeward way — the fires having been extinguished by the rain. They were deeply impressed with the difficulty and peril of their situation; nor did they hesitate to warn each other of the necessity of keeping an arrow-like directness in their route, if they hoped ever to reach the camp. On they went, so slowly stepping, and so carefully feel ing their way before they stepped, that it seemed as if they had gone double the distance; and Dr. Gordon and Jones, hav ing no guide on which to rely except their consciousness of moving at a certain an gle to the wind, would long before have come to a full stop, confident that they had veered from their course, and were in danger again, had it not been for Wildcat’s cheery voice: “We right! we right! keep on!” when, at last, Jones gave Doctor Gordon’s hand a grip, f such as \\ ildcat had given it be fore, and with a cry of “Hold last!’ lurched forward, dragging the others along with him. Tenaciously did poor Jones cling to Dr. Gordon, and manfully did the Doctor and Wildcat struggle to save him and themselves from being pre cipitated into the boiling waters below. They went together, nor did they stop until Jones found himself lodged against an obstruction that first gave a hasty movement, then a cry of “Murder! Help!” They had fortunately kept so straight a course, under Wildcat’s Indian guidance, as to have come to the camp itself, and falling down the little declivity above it to have lodged against Simpson, who had stepped out for a moment to see what pi ogress the storm had made. Jones’ cry ol horror, as he thought himself plunging into the sea, was arrested, and in place of it came such a ringing laugh of merri ment at discovering that Simpson had taken him lor a hostile Indian trying to murder him, that lie was joined in it by Dr. Gordon and Wildcat, and soon after by all others in the camp. THE ELEPHANT. ad the that W! live on land, the elephant 18 t^ie l ar £ es fi an d heavi est. Ilis body seems to f®' be all in a lump, and bis legs are very strong and thick. That long thing you see hanging Jlk down before him is called a trunk, Hv but it is nothing more than a long nose. He uses it to lift his food to his mouth, and to suck up water ; for you see that his neck is too short to reach down wards, so if he had not this long trunk he would starve to death. He can move it about on every side, and can lap it round a man, and lift him over his head. Two long tusks stick out of the elephant’s mouth, and his ears are large and broad. He is a very tractable animal, and can be taught many things. I have read of an elephant which had learned to take care of a little child when its mother was away, and be used to fan it to sleep, and drive the flies away with his trunk. Elephants usually go in droves of fifty or a hundred. Advice to Boys. “You are made to be kind, generous and magnanimous,” says Horace Mann. “If there’s a boy in school who has a club-foot don’t let him know you ever saw it. If there is a boy in school with rag ged clothes, don’t talk of lags in his presence. If there is a lame boy in school, assign him some place in the play which does not require much running. If there is a dull one, help him to get his lessons.” Satan is never likely to do more mischief than when he puts on Samuel’s coat. 203