A TALE OF THREE LIONS
Page: 26

roar from the direction of the river, and then another from behind the
swell of bush. Evidently there were more lions about. The wounded
lioness redoubled her efforts, with the object, I suppose, of
summoning the others to her assistance. At any rate they came, and
quickly too, for within five minutes, peeping through the bushes of
our skerm fence, we saw a magnificent lion bounding along towards us,
through the tall tambouki grass, that in the moonlight looked for all
the world like ripening corn. On he came in great leaps, and a
glorious sight it was to see him. When within fifty yards or so, he
stood still in an open space and roared. The lioness roared too; then
there came a third roar, and another great black-maned lion stalked
majestically up, and joined number two, till really I began to realize
what the ox must have undergone.

"'Now, Harry,' I whispered, 'whatever you do don't fire, it's too
risky. If they let us be, let them be.'

"Well, the pair marched off to the bush, where the wounded lioness was
now roaring double tides, and the three of them began to snarl and
grumble away together there. Presently, however, the lioness ceased
roaring, and the two lions came out again, the black-maned one first--
to prospect, I suppose--walked to where the carcass of the ox lay, and
sniffed at it.

"'Oh, what a shot!' whispered Harry, who was trembling with
excitement.

"'Yes,' I said; 'but don't fire; they might all of them come for us.'

"Harry said nothing, but whether it was from the natural impetuosity
of youth, or because he was thrown off his balance by excitement, or
from sheer recklessness and devilment, I am sure I cannot tell you,
never having been able to get a satisfactory explanation from him; but
at any rate the fact remains, he, without word or warning, entirely
disregarding my exhortations, lifted up his Westley Richards and fired
at the black-maned lion, and, what is more, hit it slightly on the
flank.

"Next second there was a most awful roar from the injured lion. He
glared around him and roared with pain, for he was badly stung; and
then, before I could make up my mind what to do, the great black-maned