time had exhibited the most determined
courage, now seemed overcome with a sudden fear. Either the arrow or
one of the bullets must have sickened him with the combat; for, dropping
his mop-like tail to a level with the line of his back, he broke away;
and, trotting sulkily forward, sprang in at the door of the kraal!

CHAPTER TEN.

A LION IN THE TRAP.

There was something singular in the lion seeking shelter in so unusual a
place; but it showed his sagacity. There was no other cover within
convenient distance, and to have reached any bush that would have
afforded him concealment, since the passage of the locusts, would have
been difficult. The mounted hunters could easily have overtaken him,
had he attempted to run off. He was aware that the house was
uninhabited. He had been prowling around it all the night--perhaps
within it--and therefore knew what sort of place it was.

The brute's instinct was correct. The walls of the house would protect
him from the guns of his enemies at a distance; and for these to
approach near would be his advantage and their danger.

An odd incident occurred as the lion entered the kraal. There was a
large window in one end of the house. Of course it was not glazed--it
never had been. A glass window is a rarity in these parts. A strong
wooden shutter alone closed it. This was still hanging on its hinges,
but in the hurried "flitting," the window had been left open. The door
also had been standing ajar. As the lion sprang in at the latter, a
string of small foxy wolf-like creatures came pouring out through the
former, and ran with all their might across the plain. They were
jackals!

As it afterwards appeared, one of the oxen had been chased into the
house either by lions or hyenas, and killed there. His carcass had been
overlooked by the larger carnivora, and the cunning jackals had been
making a quiet breakfast upon it, when so unceremoniously disturbed.

The entrance of their terrible king in such angry mood, by the door,
caused the fox-wolves to beat a quick retreat by the window; and the
appearance of the horsemen without had still further frightened these
cowardly brutes, so that they ran away from the kraal at top speed, and
never halted until they were out of sight.

The three hunters could not restrain a laugh; but their tone was
suddenly changed by another incident that happened almost at the same
moment.

Von Bloom had brought with him his two fine do