and, to my intense satisfaction, Victory
struck out with a strong, overhand stroke and set all my fears on her
account at rest.

But my relief was short-lived. That lioness, as I have said before,
was a veritable devil. She stood for a moment glaring at us, then like
a shot she sprang into the river and swam swiftly after us.

Victory was a length ahead of me.

"Swim for the other shore!" I called to her.

I was much impeded by my rifle, having to swim with one hand while I
clung to my precious weapon with the other. The girl had seen the
lioness take to the water, and she had also seen that I was swimming
much more slowly than she, and what did she do? She started to drop
back to my side.

"Go on!" I cried. "Make for the other shore, and then follow down
until you find my friends. Tell them that I sent you, and with orders
that they are to protect you. Go on! Go on!"

But she only waited until we were again swimming side by side, and I
saw that she had drawn her long knife, and was holding it between her
teeth.

"Do as I tell you!" I said to her sharply, but she shook her head.

The lioness was overhauling us rapidly. She was swimming silently, her
chin just touching the water, but blood was streaming from between her
lips. It was evident that her lungs were pierced.

She was almost upon me. I saw that in a moment she would take me under
her forepaws, or seize me in those great jaws. I felt that my time had
come, but I meant to die fighting. And so I turned, and, treading
water, raised my rifle above my head and awaited her.

Victory, animated by a bravery no less ferocious than that of the dumb
beast assailing us, swam straight for me. It all happened so swiftly
that I cannot recall the details of the kaleidoscopic action which
ensued. I knew that I rose high out of the water, and, with clubbed
rifle, dealt the animal a terrific blow upon the skull, that I saw
Victory, her long blade flashing in her hand, close, striking, upon the
beast, that a great paw fell upon her shoulder, and that I was swept
beneath the surface of the water like a straw before the prow of a
freighter.

Still clinging to my rifle, I rose again, to see the lioness struggling
in her death throes but an arm's length from me. Scarcely had I risen
than the beast turned upon her side, struggled frantically for an
instant, and then sank.

6

Victory was nowhere in sight. Alone, I floated upon the bosom of the
Th