fire first, and then Hans and I, should they fail to kill the
brute: we to try what we could do, they, of course, in the meantime,
reloading.

The grand principle in attacking wild beasts is never to allow the whole
of the party to remain unarmed for a moment. The lion did not appear
quite to like the look of things. He advanced cautiously, showing his
whole vast proportions, his huge shaggy mane, and the afterpart of his
body looking thin and small, but even that was of the size of a
full-grown donkey. Twice he stopped, and each time uttered a tremendous
roar.

"He smells us, if he cannot see us," said Harry.

Still the creature appeared doubtful whether he would spring towards the
suspected point.

"Now, Harry, let's see what you can do," I whispered.

"I shall be glad if I can knock him over the first shot," he answered.

Harry and Jan's rifles went off at the same moment, and we could hear
their bullets strike, but neither brought the lion to the ground. His
rage overcame his fears; and lashing his tail and again roaring, he was
about to spring on us, when Hans and I, taking steady aim at him as he
rose from the ground, sent our leaden messengers of death through his
body. He must have leapt up half-a-dozen feet, falling right over on
his head, where he lay struggling for a few seconds; but before we could
leap over the rocks and get near him, he was dead. We signified our
satisfaction at the victory by a loud shout.

"We shall now sleep soundly," said Hans, giving the animal a kick with
his foot.

We repaired to our camp and made up the fire. Though Hans declared that
there was no necessity for remaining awake, Harry and I agreed to keep
watch and watch until the morning, not feeling at all certain whether
another lion, or perhaps a leopard, might pay us a visit; or a herd of
elephants, buffaloes, or rhinoceroses, might come our way and trample us
to death, while enjoying our balmy slumbers.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

When people know that their lives may depend upon maintaining a blazing
fire, they must be foolish indeed if they allow themselves to slumber at
their posts; but I confess that I had great difficulty, during my watch,
in keeping my eyes open, after the exertions of the day and the hunger
and thirst I had endured. I felt that my only chance was to get up and
walk about with my rifle in my hand. I did not, however, go far from
the fire, as the smoke drove the mosquitoes and other insects