teen or twenty yards between
them.

The true position of affairs at once flashed across me. Jack in his
flight had unwittingly run almost into the jaws of the lion; and I now
felt convinced that this must be a second lion, for it could not have
been the one that was disturbed by the rhinoceros, as I had been running
directly away from the spot where these two brutes had met. Jack had
crouched at once. We had often talked, over our camp-fire, of such an
event as unexpectedly meeting a lion face to face; and Peterkin, who
knew a good deal about such matters, had said that in such a case a
man's only chance was to crouch and stare the lion out of countenance.
We laughed at this; but he assured us positively that he had himself
seen it done to tigers in India, and added that if a man turned and ran
his destruction would be certain. To fire straight in the face of a
lion in such a position would be excessively dangerous; for while the
bullet _might_ kill, it was more than probable it would glance off the
bone of the forehead, which would be presented at an angle to the
hunter. The best thing to do, he said, was to stare steadily at the
creature until it began to wince, which, if not a wounded beast, it
would certainly do; and then, when it turned slowly round, to slink
away, take aim at its heart, and fire instantly.

The moon was shining full in Jack's face, which wore an expression of
intense ferocity I had never before witnessed, and had not believed it
possible that such a look could have been called up by him. The lower
part of his face, being shrouded in his black beard, was undiscernible;
but his cheeks and forehead were like cold marble. His dark brows were
compressed so tightly that they seemed knotted, and beneath them his
eyes glittered with an intensity that seemed to me supernatural. Not a
muscle moved; his gaze was fixed; and it was not difficult to fancy that
he was actually, instead of apparently, petrified.

I could not, of course, observe the visage of the lion, and, to say
truth, I had no curiosity on that point; for just then it occurred to me
that I was directly in the line of fire, and that if my friend missed
the lion there was every probability of his killing me. I was now in an
agony of uncertainty. I knew not what to do. If I were to endeavour to
get out of the way, I might perhaps cause Jack to glance aside, and so
induce the lion to spring. If, on the other hand, I should remain wher