s coming
down at night to drink, or the risk there would be of an encounter
between them and Lion. Get in, you old rogue," he continued, giving the
dog a playful kick in the ribs, and driving him inside the cave, where
he secured him to a large fragment of rock. "You don't know what an
escape you've had. You are ready enough to fight, I don't doubt, but
`cave cui incurras,' as the Latin grammar says, Master Lion; a single
single blow of that brute's paw would have been enough to break a
horse's back, let alone a dog's. There, stand in the entrance with your
gun, Nick, and keep a sharp look out, while we go to examine the well."

The lads took their guns, and the three making a considerable _detour_
to the left, cautiously ascended the rocks, until they gained a higher
shelf than that in which the well was situated, and then looked over.
The moon had by this time begun to set, and the steep summit of the
crags behind them intercepted its light, throwing the shelf into deep
shadow. A dark mass was indistinctly visible, lying immediately on the
edge of the well, partly indeed protruding over it. "That's the lioness
drinking," whispered Frank. "She has most likely followed her lord to
the water, and has only just arrived here."

"Most likely," answered the doctor in the same cautious tone, "but don't
fire. You can't see her plain enough to take a sure aim at her, and a
mere wound would only enrage her. Leave her to me. As soon as she has
done drinking, she'll get up, and then we shall have a clear sight of
her."

They waited patiently for several minutes. It became evident that the
animal was not, as they had supposed, drinking, but was either asleep or
refreshing herself with the cool air, which the close proximity of the
water produced. In either case it was impossible to conjecture how long
she might retain her present attitude. "Let drop a stone upon her,
Ernest," whispered the doctor. "That will put her up. I have my rifle
all ready."

Warley looked round him. There was no stone near at hand, but he
detached his shot-flask from his belt and threw it with a skilful aim,
striking the lioness on the flank. She instantly sprang to her feet;
but just as Ernest discharged his missile there came a dense cloud over
the moon, and the figure of the animal was lost to sight. Before the
cloud could quite pass away again, the lioness gave vent to a low savage
roar. She had caught sight, notwithstanding the da