as though starting to fly. I happened to be near the end of the loft and 
     
     one arm went around a king-post. The instant I felt the post I knew 
     
     I was going the wrong way, and I held on for dear life. I was dang- 
     
     ling there like a rabbit in the snare. I soon got hold with both hands 
     
     and climbed onto the loft. Had I jumped clear so as not to touch 
     
     the post I would have been killed'or badly injured. I was more care- 
     
     ful after that when I went out in the dark. Dangers lurk in so many 
     
     places we should always be careful, both of ourselves and others. It is 
     
     only in desperate c0nditions we are justified in taking a “Leap in the 
     
    
   
   
    
     dark.” 
     
     Trapping a Savage Dog 
     
    
   
   
    
     My brother Johnny and I got ourselves into a dangerous situa- 
     
     tion one day, trapping a large savage dog. This dog belonged to one 
     
     of our neighbours. He came about our place and was a terror to the 
     
     women and children. Johnny and I determined to trap him; we did 
     
     not take into account the risks; boys seldom do. The outcome was 
     
     that we got trapped with the dog. We observed that the dog would 
     
     go into the barn when he came about. We tied a rope to the latch of 
     
     the barn door, and put it around a post, so that when we pulled at 
     
     the other end of the rope the door would shut; we then opened the 
     
     door and climbed up on the loft, carrying the end of the rope with 
     
     us. This was in the old log barn and the loft was low. We were not 
     
     long in our hiding place when we saw the dog coming in; we pulled 
     
     the rope and our invention worked to our satisfaction; the door shut 
     
     with a bang. The dog saw he was trapped, and went wild. He saw us 
     
     on the hay loft and made a dash for us, but he could not quite reach 
     
     the loft; in some of his mad rushes he went very near gaining the top. 
     
     We now began to realize our danger; we became alarmed, but we 
     
     could not open the door; our machine worked. only one way. There 
     
     we were shut in with the infuriated dog, that in one of his mad 
     
     bounds might reach the loft. If he could have got at us we would like- 
     
     ly have got a severe biting. We did not dare go down, and there was 
     
     no way out but by the door. Fortunately some one heard the racket in 
     
     the barn, and came to see what it was about. Soon as the door was 
     
     pushed open the dog darted out and struck for his home at a furious 
     
     pace. We were glad to get released from the trap into which we got 
     
    
   
   
    
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