rable distance. The
hunters pressed on. They were too well accustomed to encounter the
monarch of the wilds under ordinary circumstances to have any feeling of
alarm for themselves, but they became intensely anxious about Denis;
still it was not likely that the lions would be roaring had they seized
him. They hurried on even faster than before, though they had several
times to turn aside to avoid the thorny thickets in their path, through
which even their young guide did not attempt to make his way. The
sounds grew louder and louder. They were approaching the spot where the
lions would be discovered. For their own safety it was necessary to be
cautious. Their great hope was that Denis had turned aside, and that
the beasts were roaring over the body of the wounded pallah which they
had brought down. Still Lionel, though he slackened his pace, did not
hesitate, but went on, his eyes peering about in every direction. He
seemed to place perfect reliance on the power of his companions'
firearms. For some time the roaring ceased. Could the brutes have gone
off, or were they watching the approach of the strangers? Suddenly
three lion cubs burst out from a thicket. Maloney was instinctively
about to fire, but Hendricks stopped him. "Take care! the old ones are
not far off. Those little brutes were sent out by the lion and lioness
to watch us."

As he said this, the cubs, turning round, galloped off to the left up
the hill. Cautiously the hunters advanced. It was well they did so,
for scarcely had they gone fifty paces more when a lion and lioness
suddenly bounded out with rapid strides, their heads and tails up.

"You take the lioness, I'll take the lion," said Hendricks calmly, while
the boy, showing no signs of fear, stepped behind his friends. All at
once the lion stopped, then gazing a moment at the intruders, galloped
off after the cubs, but the lioness still came bounding on. Hendricks
on this refrained from pulling his trigger. Maloney fired, the ball
struck the savage animal in the neck, but notwithstanding on she came
towards him, and in another instant would probably have laid him low on
the ground with a blow from her powerful paw. It was fortunate that
Hendricks had not thrown his shot away. He stood as firm as a rock, and
raising his rifle aimed at the lioness's chest. She made one bound into
the air, and fell close to his feet. She was still not dead, and he,
grasping the boy by the arm, s