proprietor of a very active and amusing monkey. The price of admission was
a quarter of a dollar, for adult whites; children and negroes going in for
half-price. These preliminaries understood, it was at once settled that all
who could muster enough of money and courage, should go in a body, and gaze
on the king of beasts. I say, of courage; for it required a good deal for a
female novice to go near a living lion.

The lion was kept in a cage, of course, which was placed in a temporary
building of boards, that had been erected for the Pinkster field. As we
drew near the door, I saw that the cheeks of several of the pretty young
creatures who belonged to the party of Anneke, began to turn pale; a sign
of weakness that, singular as it may appear, very sensibly extended itself
to most of their attendant negresses. Mari did not flinch, however; and,
when it came to the trial, of that sex, she and her mistress were the only
two who held out in the original resolution of entering. Some time
was thrown away in endeavouring to persuade two or three of her older
companions to go in with her; but, finding it useless, with a faint smile,
Miss Mordaunt calmly said--

"Well, gentlemen, Mari and myself must compose the female portion of the
party. I have never seen a lion, and would not, by any means, miss this
opportunity. We shall find my friends waiting for such portions of us as
shall not be eaten, on our return."

We were now near the door, where stood the man who received the money, and
gave the tickets. It happened that Dirck had been stopped by a gentleman of
his acquaintance, who had just left the building, and who was laughingly
relating some incident that had occurred within. I stood on one side of
Anneke, Jason on the other, while Mari was close in the rear.