capes the
buffalo's horns," observed Denis. "Let's keep out of the way, and we
shall see what will next happen." Presently the buffalo came back,
looking about everywhere for her calf; but not observing it, naturally
supposed that the lion had carried it off, and consequently away she
dashed again in pursuit of the still fugitive king of the wilds.

"The big cowardly cat! I wish that she may overtake him, and give him a
pounding which will knock the breath out of his body entirely!" cried
Denis.

"What! do you call the lion a cat?" exclaimed Percy.

"To be sure I do. What is he but `Felis leo'? which means the cat lion,
as you know, in Latin. He is more cowardly, too, than most cats, for
he'll never attack either a man or a beast unless he thinks he has a
good chance of coming off the victor. I have not forgotten an
unpleasant morning I spent once up a tree, with a couple of lions and
their cubs rampaging round me; and if it had not been for my father and
Hendricks, I should have been there still, at all events my bones would,
for nothing would have induced me to come down and be torn to pieces by
the brutes. It was a day or two after Hendricks found you, Lionel, and
our friends Mangaleesu and Kalinda made a wonderful escape from their
enemies which you have heard of."

"What do you mean by finding Lionel? I thought he was the son of
Hendricks," said Percy.

"So I am his adopted son," answered Lionel. "At first Hendricks thought
that my parents might be Dutch boers; when Denis however tried to teach
me English, I remembered so many English words that he was convinced
they were English people; but although he has endeavoured to discover
them for my sake rather than for his own, he has never yet succeeded in
finding even the slightest clue as to who they could be."

"How very curious!" said Percy. "When I get home to my father and
mother, I must tell them all about it. They will be much interested,
and I hope, Lionel, that you will come and see them."

"I should like to do so very much, if Hendricks will let me," said
Lionel. "But he wants me to accompany him on this expedition, that I
may become as great a hunter as he is, and that is just what I should
like to be. I am sure, therefore, that he will not allow me to stay
with your family longer than the one night we shall outspan at the farm,
as we have had so many delays that he is in a hurry to push on."

The conversation was interrupted by a loud