in that direction, and it might be farther than
he supposed.

"Then the faster we push on the better," cried Denis.
"Whollop-ahoo-ahoo! on we go;" but although he whipped his unfortunate
steed, the animal refused to move at a quicker pace. All the horses
showed signs of suffering. They opened their mouths, turned up their
nostrils, and the foam was seen gathering on their lips. They were
riding on when, as they were approaching a thicket, a sound, as if a
battle was going on between some of the brute creation, reached their
ears--roarings, snortings, and bellowings.

"What can produce that tremendous uproar?" cried Percy.

"Gozo says it is a lion belching," answered Lionel; "but there's some
other animal, and we must be ready to fire or get out of its way."

They again cautiously rode on.

"A lion! a lion!" cried the Kaffir, and looking over some bushes, they
saw in an open space a large buffalo cow engaged in battle with the
monarch of the wilds. Not far off lay the body of a buffalo calf, which
at once explained to them the cause of the battle. The lion had taken
up a position not far from some trees and thick bushes, whose branches
were elevated but a short distance from the ground. The buffalo stood
with her horns ready to receive her antagonist. Suddenly the lion
bounded forward, fixing his powerful claws on the face and neck of the
buffalo, when instantly, in spite of his weight, she turned, and rushing
at the boughs, in a moment the lion was thrown off, and lay on his back
with his claws in the air. Furiously the buffalo charged at him,
pounding away with her horns in a manner which made it seem impossible
that any life would be left in him. While the buffalo was retreating to
make another charge, the lion, managing to roll himself over, recovered
his feet. The buffalo received him as before, on her head. He in vain
endeavoured to reach her hinder quarters, and once more she bore him
into the brushwood. In an instant he was knocked off with a crash which
it seemed must have broken every bone in his body; but he was soon again
on his feet. This was more than the lion could stand, and, coward as he
was at heart, finding himself thus defeated in his object, he took to
flight, pursued by the buffalo, who went dashing away after him through
the bush.

Gozo immediately dismounted, and stealing forward, dragged the calf into
the bush.

"Gozo is determined that the lion shan't benefit, even if he es