imal. He was a
lion, and only killed to eat; yet he soon cleared the place, because
he knocked over a few hyenas and jackals, and the rest, being active,
tumbled over the vultures before they could spread their heavy wings.
After this warning, they made a respectful circle again, through which,
in due course, the gorged lion stalked into the wood.

A savage's sentiments change quickly, and the Hottentot, fearing little
from a full lion, was now giggling at Staines's side. Staines asked him
which he thought was the lord of all creatures, a man or a lion.

"A lion," said Blacky, amazed at such a shallow question.

Staines now got up, and proposed to continue their journey. But Blacky
was for waiting till the lion was gone to sleep after his meal.

While they discussed the question, the lion burst out of the wood
within hearing of their voices, as his pricked-up ears showed, and made
straight for them at a distance of scarcely thirty yards.

Now, the chances are, the lion knew nothing about them, and only came to
drink at the kloof, after his meal, and perhaps lie under the acacias:
but who can think calmly, when his first lion bursts out on him a few
paces off? Staines shouldered his rifle, took a hasty, flurried aim, and
sent a bullet at him.

If he had missed him, perhaps the report might have turned the lion; but
he wounded him, and not mortally. Instantly the enraged beast uttered
a terrific roar, and came at him with his mane distended with rage, his
eyes glaring, his mouth open, and his whole body dilated with fury.

At that terrible moment, Staines recovered his wits enough to see that
what little chance he had was to fire into the destroyer, not at him. He
kneeled, and levelled at the centre of the lion's chest, and not till he
was within five yards did he fire. Through the smoke he saw the lion in
the air above him, and rolled shrieking into the stream and crawled like
a worm under the bank, by one motion, and there lay trembling. A few
seconds of sick stupor passed: all was silent. Had the lion lost him?
Was it possible he might yet escape?

All was silent.

He listened, in agony, for the sniffing of the lion, puzzling him out by
scent.

No: all was silent.

Staines looked round, and saw a woolly head, and two saucer eyes and
open nostrils close by him. It was the Hottentot, more dead than alive.

Staines whispered him, "I think he is gone."

The Hottentot whispered, "Gone a little way to watch. H