longer distinguish the little red and yellow fruit on a large tree nearly opposite to the mouth of the cave, though on our first arrival it had looked so bright, that we might have thought the branches were laden with jewels, like the trees in Aladdin's magical garden. So we rose and turned towards the cave. In a moment the whole interior was illuminated with dazzling blue-lights, that showed every face and figure of the strange carvings, far more distinctly than daylight had done. At the farther end were the three gigantic faces, the centre one calm and grand, but all seeming to me so stern and awful, that I was thankful when the lights died away, and we left the cave and walked down in the moonlight to the boat. The men took to their oars, and rowed us home, all being very silent; and I watched the water that dropped from the oars and glistened like pearls as the moonbeams touched them, until I fell asleep, and dreamt of Miss Clay's song.

HE day after our trip to Elephanta, I felt strangely tired, and complained of headache, so I stayed all day in my mother's

room, lying very still, and scarcely heeding who came or went. After this, there came a period of confusion, for I had a sharp attack of fever. I recollect opening my eyes one night, and seeing my father writing at a table in my room. I watched him without speaking; and presently there came trooping in through the open door, about a dozen of little figures, who ranged themselves round my bed. My father went on writing, and did not seem to see the strange visitors, so

I lay and watched them without speaking. They all had close-fitting dresses, of yellow colour, with black spots, and their grotesque faces wore a constant grin. They stood "mopping and mowing" for some time, and then suddenly each one expanded till he became a giant, and his head touched the ceiling, and the next minute each contracted again to a dwarfish size; and this performance was repeated again and again. By and by they left the bedside, and ranged themselves in a row, still without a sound, for a game at leapfrog, such as I had seen represented in one of my English picture-books. This was so diverting, with the constant changes in the size of the performers, that I laughed aloud, and my father left his writing, and came to see what caused my amusement.

"Don't stand just there, please, papa," I cried, “I want to see that poor little dwarf jump. Oh! what a shame! The other one grew up into a giant just as the poor little thing was taking the leap, but he has gone over, all the same. Well done, little fellow! Did you ever see such fun, papa ?" and I tried to clap my hands, which, for some reason, seemed almost too heavy for me to lift. My father did not seem to share my amusement, or to care to look at the game that was still going on round and round the room.

"You must try to be quiet, Clary," he said, very

gravely. "I will darken the room, and you must shut your eyes, and try to go to sleep."

"But I sha'n't be able to see the merry little men," I cried piteously, as he carried the light into the adjoining room.

"You have seen enough for to-night," he replied, when he returned; and sitting down beside me, tried to soothe my excitement, crooning a nursery song that at length sent me to sleep.

Another evening, I know not how long afterwards, I opened my eyes, and saw some one sitting near my bed, reading. I could not mistake the sweet face, and the pretty light hair; it was Miss Clay. I watched her, without caring to speak, and for a long time there was neither sound nor movement in the room; but by and by something dark peeped slily in at the open door. On and on it crept, a hairy beast, with pointed ears, cruel eyes, and large white teeth in its half-opened mouth. After it came another, and another, till the room was filled with the fearful creatures. I knew what they were; I remembered the cry we had heard as we sat by the tank in Salsette, and the animal I had once seen prowling about the flats in the early morning, when I was with my father. It was a herd of jackals that had come into my very room, round the bed where I lay! Still Miss Clay read on, unheed

ing, till I uttered a shriek that brought her at once to my side.

"Hush, my little Clary," she said gently, as she bent over me, after drawing aside the mosquito-net; "don't frighten your poor mamma. What is the matter, my

child ?"

I flung my arms round her neck, and cried, "Why did you let them come in? Why don't you drive them away? Look, look! they will come on my bed presently! They will make that horrid noise that you said you didn't like! Why do you ask me what is the matter, when those horrid jackals are all round my bed ?"

"Poor little Clary!" she said, kissing me. "I will try to put every thing right for you, but you know I can't do any thing while you hold me so fast. Now, that is right; lie down and shut your eyes, and I will see what I can do."

She darkened the room, as my father had done, bathed my head with some cool mixture, and sang softly, till I fell asleep. But my adventures for this night were not over yet, for I had a dream so strangely vivid, that I awoke from it with a cry of terror, and it was long before my kind friend could soothe me. I thought I was once more in the great cave of Elephanta, and the keen blue light was shining into every