his! The poor
buffalo fought nobly, but it had no chance against such odds, and would
certainly have been torn to pieces and devoured had not Tom recovered
his self-possession in a few minutes. Creeping up to within thirty
yards he fired at one of the lions with such good aim that it fell dead
almost on the spot, having time only to turn and seize a bush savagely
with its teeth ere it died. The second barrel was discharged, but not
with the same effect. Another of the lions was wounded, and sprang into
the bushes with an angry roar. The third merely lifted his head, looked
at Tom for a moment as if with indignant surprise, and then went on
tearing at the carcass as hard as ever.

With a feeling of thankfulness that this particular king of the forest
had treated him so contemptuously, Tom slunk behind a tree and recharged
his gun, after which he advanced cautiously and sent a ball crashing
through the lion's shoulder. It _ought_ to have killed him, he thought,
but it did not, for he made off as fast as possible, just as Wilkins and
Mafuta arrived, panting, on the scene of action.

"What a magnificent fellow!" exclaimed Wilkins going up to the dead
lion. "Bravissimo, Tom, you've done it at last."

"Done _it_!" cried Tom, as he loaded hastily, "why, I've all but done
_three_. Follow up the trail, man, as fast as you can. I'll overtake
you in no time!"

Wilkins did not wait for more, but dashed into the thicket after Mafuta,
who had preceded him.

Tom was quickly on their heels, and they had not gone far when one of
the wounded lions was found lying on the ground quite dead. The other
was not overtaken, but, as Wilkins said, two lions, a buffalo, and a
hippopotamus, which latter he had shot from the boat, was not a bad
beginning!

That night they encamped under the shelter of a spreading tree, and as
they reclined at full length between two fires, which were kindled to
keep off the wild beasts, enjoying a pipe after having feasted
luxuriously on hippopotamus steaks and marrow bones, Tom Brown remarked:
"Well, my dream has been realised at last, and, upon my word, I have not
been disappointed."

CHAPTER FIVE.

MORE ABOUT LIONS!

As we have now introduced our readers to the lion, we think it but right
to say something about his aspect and character, as given by some of our
best authorities.

Dr Livingstone, that greatest of African travellers, seems to be of
opinion that untravelled men are prone t