He hardly dared climb much higher for fear of breaking it entirely off.

So he lay along the branch, clasping it with his arms, and shut his eyes.

He heard the leopard walk impatiently around, stop, utter an angry cry, walk restlessly again, spring unavailingly into the air, drop heavily to the floor.
At last Timokles opened his eyes.

A yellow light, turning into darkness, seemed to fill the space before him.

Alarmed, he strove to overcome this faintness.