er with more
lions or with any other game that might come my way. I followed up the
river almost to its source, but no more lions crossed my path. Once
indeed I felt convinced that I saw one, and gave chase to it with all
my might as it rushed through the long grass: but a nearer view showed
me nothing more than a huge wart-hog. As I wanted the tusks, which I
noticed were very fine ones, I fired but only badly hipped him: so I
ran up as fast as I could and at ten yards fired again. This time I
missed him entirely, and was puzzled to account for my failure until I
looked at my back sight and found that by some accident it had got
raised and that I had the 200-yards sight up. On rectifying this,
another shot quickly put the wounded animal out of pain.

Still my day's sport was not yet over. While rambling back through the
trees I caught sight of a graceful-looking antelope in the distance,
and on cautiously approaching closer saw that it was an impala. My
stalk was crowned with success, the beautiful animal being bagged
without much trouble; and on reaching my prize I was delighted to find
that its horns were much above the average. On another occasion I was
fortunate enough to get a successful snapshot of an impala just after
it had been shot by a friend, and the photograph gives a very good idea
of what mine was like.

As it was now growing late, I made all haste back to where I had left
Mahina skinning the lion, but to my astonishment he was nowhere to be
seen. I fired several shots and shouted myself hoarse, all without
response; and the only conclusion I could come to was that he had
returned to the camp at the temporary bridge. I accordingly pushed on,
reaching home long after dark; and there I found Mahina safe and sound,
with the lion's skin already pegged out to dry, so that I could not
find it in my heart to give him the severe scolding he deserved for
having returned without me. Next morning I packed up my trophies and
returned to my work at railhead. On my way back I happened to meet one
of the other engineers, who called out, "Hallo! I hear you have got a
fine line."

My thoughts being full of my adventures of the day before, I answered:
"Yes, I did; but how on earth did you hear of it?"

"Oh!" he said, "Reynolds told me."

"Good heavens," I replied, "why, he left before I shot it."

"Shot?" he exclaimed, "whatever do you mean?"

"Didn't you say," I asked, "that you heard I had got a fine lion?"

"N