HEADS FOR COMPOSITION.

I. NEARER AND NEARER: how the approach of the wolves was made known—the yelps-pattering feet-their breath— bodily state of the skater.

II. THE SKATER'S STRATEGY: his involuntary motion — effect on the wolves-the skater's fortunate thought-the wolves pellmell- a narrow escape.

III. SAFE AT LAST- the skater's thoughts-arrival opposite the cabin-baying of the hounds-disappearance of the wolves.

fal'ter, a hesitation.

lus'ti-ly, stoutlý.

82.-Rolf's Leap.

PART I.

păç'i-fy, to quiet.

stûr'dy, stout, strong.

1. "WHAT, you're making friends with my old Rolf are you, boys?-dear old Rolf!" said Uncle Dick.

At the sound of his voice away broke Rolf from the two lads, sending them right and left like a couple of ninepins, and bounding forward, lame leg and all, had his faithful head in another moment pressed against his master's side, and was wagging his bushy tail so lustily that he wagged a pretty red rose all to pieces, and sent its petals in a shower over the gravel-path.

2. "That's my good old dog!" said Uncle Dick, as he stroked his favorite's shaggy back, and pulled his long black ears, and shook the paw that Rolf kept solemnly "giving" at least a dozen times over.

3. "He has been going on with such fun,-licking our faces, and putting his arms on our shoulders; and he rolled Tommy right over on the grass," said Will, the elder of the two boys. "Tommy tried to get on his back, and he didn't like it, and tumbled him off."

4. "Of course he didn't like it," said Uncle Dick. "You wouldn't like to have anybody get on your back if you were lame of one leg; at least I know I shouldn't; I'd tumble him off fast enough. Tommy may do anything else he likes, but he mustn't try to make Rolf carry him, - must he, old Rolf?" said Uncle Dick, in his tender voice.

5.

You've got fine red cheeks, boys," he continued, and two pairs of sturdy limbs. Rolf and I would like to be able to jump about like you; but our jumping days are over. Not but that Rolf took a finer leap once than either of you lads have ever done yet, -a noble leap, wasn't it, my old dog?"

6. The general and the boys had sat down in the summer-house to rest; and so Will said, "Tell us what sort of a leap Rolf took, Uncle Dick."

"It is a painful subject to me, my lads; but I'll tell you the story for the sake of the lesson it teaches."

7. "It is fifteen years ago. The Seminoles had been giving us some trouble in Florida, and my regiment was ordered to that region to look after the red-skins. I stayed there for four years, and they were as happy years, on the whole, as I ever spent anywhere. We

weren't very hard worked, and many a pleasant excursion did I have, sometimes with a companion, sometimes alone with only my horse and old Rolf. One of these excursions I shall never forget, for it was in the course of it that Rolf took his leap.

8. "I had been riding for five or six miles one pleasant afternoon. It was just hot enough to make the thought of a swim delicious; so after I had been jogging leisurely along for some little time, shooting a bird or two as I went,- for I wanted some bright feathers to send home to a little cousin, -I alighted from my horse, and hitching it to a palmetto I lay down for a quarter of an hour to cool myself, and then began to make ready for a plunge.

9. "I was standing on a little ledge of cliff, some six or seven feet above the sea. It was high tide, and the water at my feet was about three fathoms deep. I was thinking what a delightful swim I should have, as I threw off my coat; when just at that moment Rolf in a very excited way flung himself upon me, howling dismally.

10. "What's the matter, old fellow?' I said to him, when he set up this dismal howl. 'Don't you want a swim? Well, you needn't unless you like, only I mean to have one; so down with you, and let me get my clothes off.'

11. "But instead of getting down the creature began to conduct himself in the strangest way, first seizing

me by the trousers with his teeth, and pulling me to the edge of the rock, as if he wanted me to plunge in dressed as I was; then catching me again and dragging me back, much as though I was a big rat that he was trying to worry. This pantomime I declare he went through three separate times, barking and whining all the while, till I began to think he was losing his senses.

12. "Well, Heaven forgive me! but at last I got into a passion with the dog. I couldn't imagine what he meant. For two or three minutes I tried to pacify him, and as long as I took no more steps to get my clothes off he was willing to be pacified; but the instant I began to undress myself again he was on me once more, pulling me this way and that, hanging on my arms, slobbering over me, and howling with his mouth up in the air.

13. And so at last I lost my temper, and I snatched up my gun and struck him with the butt-end of it. My poor Rolf!" said Uncle Dick, all at once, with a falter in his voice; and he stopped abruptly, and stooping down laid his hand on the great black head.

LANGUAGE EXERCISE.

I. "Seminoles" (7), an Indian tribe that formerly lived in Florida. Explain "sturdy limbs" (5); "red-skins" (7); “this pantomime" (11).

Give a synonym of: "sturdy" (5); "happy" (7); "conduct himself" (11); "forgive" (12); "struck" (13).

II. Write the analysis :

dismally

undress

abruptly

Select three adverbs ending in ly: from what adjectives are they formed? Select three adjectives ending in ful: from what nouns are they formed?

In paragraph 9 select a simple sentence,

tence, a compound sentence.

a complex sen

83.-Rolf's Leap.

ooz'ing, flowing gently.

per-verse', obstinate.

PART II.

pa-thět'ie, touching.
vi'tal, necessary to life.

1. "ROLF was quieter after I had struck him," said Uncle Dick, with a little pause. "For a few moments he lay quite still at my feet, and I had begun to think that his crazy fit was over, and that he was going to give me no more trouble, when all at once, just as I had got ready to jump into the water, the creature sprang to his feet and flung himself upon me again.

2. He threw himself with all his might upon my breast, and drove me backwards, howling so wildly that many a time since, boys, I have thought I must have been no better than a blind, perverse fool, not to have guessed what the trouble was.