CHAPTER XII. AZURMA FINDS LEO.

Reginald Lacy sank to the ground in a dejected manner when he found that the mouth of the passage was blocked.

“We can’t get out,” he said, hoarsely. “We may as well make up our minds that we have got to starve to death!”

“Brace up!” exclaimed Leo. “Never give up until you are sure that you are lost. It was only a short time ago that I was certain that I was rushing to my death. But I was saved, and that has taught me a lesson. I will not give up now until I feel the last breath leaving my body.”

The boy’s words seemed to imbue the man with a new hope.

He struggled to his feet again and patted his faithful dog on the head.

“If I only had something to eat,” he said, “there might be a chance. I am very hungry, and so is Jupiter.”

“Let us find something to eat.”

“Where?”

“Around here, somewhere. There might be living creatures about; we have not searched, you know.”

“That’s so; I never gave it a thought before. Lead on and take my rifle; maybe you will be able to shoot something.”

Leo took the weapon and saw that it was loaded with but four cartridges.

That was the only firearm between the two, Leo having lost his when he tumbled down the rocky decline in the Devil’s Kingdom.

“We have only got four shots to depend on,” said the boy, motioning Lacy to follow him; “but if I have occasion to use them I’ll make every one tell.”

His companion nodded, and the two started back toward the place they had come from.

In a few minutes they reached the shore and began looking about them for some signs of a creature that might do to eat.

A couple of hundred yards to the right was a group of rocks, which looked as though it might possibly contain the lair of a wild beast of some sort.

Toward this Leo directed his steps, Lacy following.

They searched about the place for over half an hour, but not a living thing could they come across.

Again they sat down, Lacy being very dejected.

The dog, who had been nosing about considerably, suddenly started off at a quick bound, at the same time uttering a short bark.

“He has struck the trail of something!” exclaimed Reginald Lacy, springing to his feet as quickly as his feeble condition would allow him.

“Let us follow him,” says Leo.

Away they went after Jupiter, in the hopes that he was about to start up some game.

They had no sooner entered a small passage between two clefts of rock than they were startled by hearing a wild scream.

“Great God!” exclaimed Lacy. “What is that?”

“It sounds to me like the cry of a female in distress,” replied his young companion, turning about and starting hurriedly in the direction the scream came from.

In a few seconds Leo came in sight of Azurma, with the horrible picuasus pursuing her.

Again a wild scream left the girl’s lips, and though the distance was rather great, the boy instantly concluded to risk a shot.

He knew full well if he missed the girl was lost, and that nerved him to do his best.

He placed his rifle to his shoulder, and, taking a quick aim, pulled the trigger.

Crack!

As the report rung out the picuasus fell, the bullet having pierced one of its eyes.

As brave as she was, Azurma had swooned, and as soon as he reached the spot, Leo set about to bring her to.

He soon accomplished this, and by the time Reginald Lacy reached the spot she was sitting up clasping her preserver by the hands and gazing into his eyes in a mute expression of joy.

“I have found you, O my future lord and master!” she said, and then she did not speak again for fully a minute.

Reginald Lacy stood staring at her like one in a dream. At length he spoke.

“How did you get here, miss?” he asked. “Can you lead us to a place where we can get something to eat?”

“Are you hungry?” said Azurma, rising to her feet and unslinging the bag from her shoulder. “If you are, eat.”

Lacy needed no second invitation.

He seized the food with a cry of joy and began devouring it ravenously.

“God bless you, my girl!” he exclaimed, hoarsely; “you have saved my life. But my dog must have something, too. I will call him, and share with him.”

He gave a long whistle, and in a few moments Jupiter came rushing from a pile of rocks with the speed of an antelope.

The scent he had taken had proved but a myth, after all, and the dog, like his master, being very hungry, soon forgot all about it.

He scarcely noticed the dead picuasus, but at once eagerly swallowed the food Lacy gave him.

“Now, Azurma,” said Leo, “can you take us back to the village?”

“I can, and will at once, O my----”

“Hold on,” interrupted the boy. “Call me Leo; don’t use any more high-fangled titles--I don’t like it.”

“Be it as you say, then, Leo. Whenever you are ready, I will conduct you safely to your friends and mine.”

Then, acting on Azurma’s advice, he seized her by the hand and started with all speed for the stream, Lacy and the dog following close behind.

Once there, Leo turned to look for Reginald Lacy and the dog.

A startling scene met his gaze.

Lacy had ventured too far out and the current had carried him off his feet.

Jupiter had seized him by the collar and was endeavoring to swim ashore with him.

“Help!” exclaimed Lacy, doing his best to stem the tide.

“Let the dog swim ashore with the rope--that is your only hope!” exclaimed the boy, rushing into the water as far as he dared.

But this Jupiter could not be made to do. He was bent on saving the life of his master, but he was going to do it in his own way.

Further and further the man and dog were sucked from the shore, in spite of the superhuman efforts they made.

Leo was completely dismayed. The very ones who had saved his life were now going to their own death over the falls.

He had no rope to throw to them, and could but stand upon the bank and witness it.

Faster and faster the struggling man and dog were carried, and nearer and nearer they were whirled to the falls.

Azurma had turned her back upon the scene, but a strange fascination seemed to hold Leo’s eyes upon the doomed man and his faithful dog.

The next moment they went whirling over the cataract with a mighty rush.