Now, though the lad was a pretty shot enough, this of
course was ridiculous, and I told him so plainly.

"By the time that we had finished our supper of koodoo steaks (which
would have been better if the koodoo had been a little younger), it was
time to get ready for Jim-Jim's murderess. Accordingly we determined
again to expose the unfortunate sick ox, that was now absolutely on
its last legs, being indeed scarcely able to stand. All the afternoon
Pharaoh told us it had been walking round and round in a circle as
cattle in the last stage of redwater generally do. Now it had come to a
standstill, and was swaying to and fro with its head hanging down. So we
tied him up to the stump of the tree as on the previous night, knowing
that if the lioness did not kill him he would be dead by morning. Indeed
I was afraid that he would die at once, in which case he would be of but
little use as a bait, for the lion is a sportsmanlike animal, and unless
he is very hungry generally prefers to kill his own dinner, though when
that is once killed he will come back to it again and again.

"Then we again went through our experience of the previous night,
sitting there hour after hour, till at last Harry fell fast asleep, and,
though I am accustomed to this sort of thing, even I could scarcely keep
my eyes open. Indeed I was just dropping off, when suddenly Pharaoh gave
me a push.

"'_Listen!_' he whispered.

"I was awake in a second, and listening with all my ears. From the clump
of bush to the right of the lightning-shattered stump to which the sick
ox was tied came a faint crackling noise. Presently it was repeated.
Something was moving there, faintly and quietly enough, but still moving
perceptibly, for in the intense stillness of the night any sound seemed
loud.

"I woke up Harry, who instantly said, 'Where is she? where is she?' and
began to point his rifle about in a fashion that was more dangerous to
us and the oxen than to any possible lioness.

"'Be quiet!' I whispered, savagely; and as I did so, with a low and
hideous growl a flash of yellow light sped out of the clump of bush,
past the ox, and into the corresponding clump upon the other side. The
poor sick creature gave a sort of groan, staggered round and then began
to tremble. I could see it do so clearly in the moonlight, which was
now very bright, and I felt a brute for having exposed the unfortunate
animal to such agony as he must undoubtedly be undergoing. The lion