fight with greater security. They, having placed me
in safety, hurried towards the combatants, hoping to kill both of them
before they separated.

The elephant, already wounded, appeared likely to succumb without our
further interference. There was indeed little chance of its attempting
to defend itself against them. Toko, making a sign to Harry to remain
where he was, sprang forward until he got close up to the animals, and
firing he sent a bullet right through the elephant's heart. The huge
creature fell over, pressing the rhinoceros to the ground. Leaping back
Toko again loaded, and Harry advancing they fired together into the body
of the survivor, which after giving a few tremendous struggles, sank
down dead.

The battle over, Harry proposed carrying me at once to the camp, and
then returning to bring away the elephant's tusks, the lion's skin, and
as much of the meat of the two first animals as was required for the use
of the party. I was very thankful to accept his offer, as I wanted to
get my ankle looked to, having an uncomfortable fear that it was broken,
in which case my hunting would be put a stop to for many a week to come.
He and Toko were not long in manufacturing a litter to carry me, by
means of two long poles, on their shoulders. Having placed me on it
they set off for the camp. Fortunately we had not very far to go. I
hoped that in the mean time we should meet with neither elephants nor
lions.

Only under rare circumstances are rhinoceroses to be dreaded, for they
are generally mild and well-disposed creatures, and usually take to
flight when they come in sight of human beings.

We had gone about half-way, when a lion, bursting out from a thicket
close by, stalked across the path some distance ahead. My bearers
placed me on the ground and handled their rifles.

"We'll stand by and defend you, don't be alarmed," cried Harry.

"I'm not afraid of your running away," I answered, "but don't fire at
the creature unless it approaches to attack us. If you only wound it,
its rage may be excited, and I to a certainty shall become its victim."

The lion regarded us for a few seconds when--we raising a loud shout--
it, greatly to my satisfaction, bounded on and disappeared in the wood.
Indeed a lion when alone will seldom, especially in the day-time, attack
human beings who show a bold front, though it will follow like a cat, as
do most other savage brutes, if a man runs from it.

My friends ag