so the sound indicated--a stamp of one foot.

"Is the boss there?" cried a gruff voice.

"Yes, this way, Denham," said the doctor. "Mind the lions."

"Oh, I hear them, sir. Anyone hurt?"

"I hope not," replied the doctor, as the man came nearer, rustling
through the grass. "Where are your men?"

_Oomph! Oomph! Oomph_! came in a deep-toned roar, followed by a chorus
of snarls.

"Old 'uns and young 'uns," said Denham, subduing his voice a little.
"They don't like our being so near. I expect my chaps have shinned up
the trees somewhere. That's what they would do, gentlemen; and old
Brown has used those long legs of his to put him miles away by this
time."

"But have you heard anything of my two men?" asked Sir James--"Dance and
Bacon?"

"I've 'eard them letting go with their rifles, sir."

"And what about Dan?"

"Oh, I haven't heard anything of him, sir."

"Ahoy!" came in the little sailor's well known voice, from somewhere in
the darkness.

"Ahoy!" cried the boys together.

_Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! issued from the spot that
had now grown familiar.

"Steady, gentlemen--steady! All cats have got the savage on strong when
they are at work at their grub. Wait a bit. Let's get the others
together, and then we'll give the brutes a volley as near as we can."

"Cooey! Cooey!" came out of the darkness.

"This way! Here!" shouted Buck Denham.

_Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! came now, with a fiercer
roar than ever, which roused the lion's companions to utter a furious
burst of snarls.

"Cooey! Cooey!" came again.

"All right, mate," said the big driver, in a low voice. "You must find
your own way now. That last bit of tongue meant, look out for squalls."

"Anybody hurt?" came in a well known voice now from close at hand, and
Dan hurried up.

"I think not, Dan," whispered Mark, and then he stretched out his hand
and felt for the little sailor. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, sir. I fired off all my cartridges."

"Here's someone else coming, gentlemen," said Denham, in a low, deep
tone. "They are your two lads, I think."

"Yes," cried Dean eagerly. "Nobody else would have cried cooey, unless
it was little Dan."

"Yes, I might, but I didn't to-night; I have been too busy."

"That you, Peter. Where's Bob Bacon?"

"Me, Mr Mark, sir?" said the latter. "Here I am, as large as life. We
have been at it pretty warm. But I want it to grow light, to see if we